The Demons Around Us
by tohrunkimi
Summary: 19-year-old Clementine is taken in by a group of survivors after losing everyone she knows. However, the group has its secrets, and Clementine is dragged into a deadly power struggle. Will she be able to stay human without losing her humanity?
1. Chapter 1

AN: I'll be writing the events of Season 2 as they would unfold with a 19-year-old Clem. A lot of dialogue will be changed. Clementine will fall in love at some point, but how soon and with whom is still up in the air. yyyyyup.

"Christa? Talk to me, Christa."

Clementine focused her amber eyes on Christa's thin figure bent over the cooking fire. Christa scowled and poked at the damp wood with a stick. The fire sputtered and smoked far below the skinned animal propped above. "This'll never work," Christa scoffed. "Look at this…. It's pathetic. The wood's too wet to burn. There's more smoke than flame. At this rate, we'll be eating this for breakfast."

Clementine sighed inwardly and looked away. Christa was in a mood.

"It's fine anyway," Clementine muttered. "We shouldn't even be building a big fire at night. It attracts too much attention."

Christa's brows knitted. "We need to eat, don't we? We can't survive without food."

The wind picked up and pressed Clementine's damp clothes into her skin, sending chills through her body. Clementine wrapped her arms tighter around herself and shivered. They were somewhere in North Carolina, according to the license plates, and winter was fast approaching – not a pleasant time to be stranded in the woods at night. "I'm freezing," she mumbled.

"You think this is bad? Wait 'til we get to Wellington. Then talk to me about cold," Christa said wryly. "If we make it. We still have a couple hard months ahead of us. This rain will turn to sleet, then ice, then snow. It won't be easy." _Oh Christa, ever the optimist,_ Clementine thought to herself sourly. "But it'll be safer there, Christa," she reminded her.

"Or so they say," Christa frowned. "We just need to keep moving north." She continued to pick at the fire as the silence between them lengthened. Finally, she threw down her stick in defeat and turned away in a huff. "I'm gonna go look for more wood," she growled. "You just keep the fire lit."

Clementine watched her back retreat into the trees. Without Omid around to crack stupid jokes, Christa's mood went south more often than not. It was hard to find things to keep her hopeful for when Clementine wasn't hopeful for much herself. She tried to keep her thoughts focused on moving towards a better life up north, but it's easier to hope with warm clothes and a full belly.

Clementine raised her eyes again to see the fire sputtering out. Reluctantly, she stood up from the log and walked to her backpack, her arms still wrapped tightly around her chest. She fished around in her pack for her lighter, pushing aside a picture of Lee as she looked. _Lee…_

She pushed down the emotions that threatened to bubble to the surface and walked towards the fire with her lighter. Kneeling down, she lit some crumpled receipts she collected specifically for kindling and nursed their flame until the logs once again started to sputter and pop. She added another damp log to the fire in an attempt to raise the heat closer to the food, but she wasn't optimistic about the soggy wood's willingness to burn.

Suddenly, Clementine became aware of male voices coming from the woods around her. She jumped up, startled, and craned her neck for Christa. Seeing nothing, she crouched and slowly walked through the trees toward the voices.

"Don't fucking lie to us!"

"Where's the rest of your group?"

Clementine's eyes widened as she saw a man forcefully shove Christa into a tree. "I- I'm by myself!" Christa stammered.

"Bullshit!" "She's lying!"

"Cut the shit, lady," a bandit threatened as he lowered his gun at her.

"It- it's just me," Christa offered, her eyes on the ground.

Clementine assessed the situation quickly. The weapons were at the camp… stupid. Her eyes darted around, looking for at least some sort of distraction. Finding nothing, she cast about for a rock and threw it as hard as she could towards a bandit. "CHRISTA, RUN!" she shouted desperately before turning on her heels and sprinting off. Scuffling in the underbrush… Christa's yelps… a gunshot rings out… There were too many sounds at once to determine what was happening.

Pausing in a clearing, Clementine looked over her shoulder. Footsteps rang out through the trees and a clumsy figure crashed through the branches – she was being followed. She crouched behind a tree and tried to decide her next move. There was no way to attack him without a weapon… _Can't take a branch to a gunfight, _she thought to herself. She darted to another cover, but was spotted immediately, sparking another mad dash through the trees.

A few walkers stumbled through the trees, apparently alerted by the gunshot. _Good,_ Clementine nodded. _That'll keep them busy. _The trees fell away behind her and the ground turned to rocks under her feet. The ground dropped off abruptly revealing a river about 10 feet below. _Yikes…_ Clem stopped quickly and looked back toward her pursuer. _He's so close…_ Clementine dashed past him towards the trees, but he grabbed her leg and she hit the ground, hard. Despite her kicks and struggles, he climbed on her and held her arms down, threatening her. Heart pounding, Clementine writhed and struggled, looking for anything she could do… a walker appeared a few feet to the left behind the bandit. If she could just… angle… her kicks…

She managed to shove her knee into his crotch, flinging him back. _Go on… a little more… _Right into a walker's clutches. Clementine scrambled to her feet as the bandit was devoured, but a dozen walkers were now stumbling out of the woods toward her. She backed away, scanning for an opening, but tripped backward over a rock. _Shit… shit… _Casting around for something to throw, she grabbed a stone and flung it desperately. Eyes wide, she scooted away as fast as she could. Suddenly, the ground dropped off behind her and she fell backward off the cliff.

The first thing that hit her was cold. The icy water took her breath away and she struggled to the surface. Lungs burning, Clementine's head broke the surface, but every time she tried to breathe she got a mouthful of water. Increasingly panicked, she tried to fight the current, but the cold numbed her until her vision blackened and she sunk into unconsciousness.


	2. Chapter 2

The first thing Clementine felt was cold.

Coughing involuntarily, she weakly tried to lift her head, blinking in the morning light. She found herself lying on the ground next to the river with her lower body submerged in the icy water. She coughed again, suddenly becoming aware of the sharp pebbles under her hands and cheek. She closed her eyes, mustered her strength, and tried to stand up, but her legs were completely numb from the water.

Clementine groaned and dragged herself out of the water by her forearms. Massaging her legs and shivering, she slowly worked feeling back into her extremities. She stood up on shaky legs. She clutched her stomach as a sharp pang shot through her abdomen. She tried to remember back to her last meal… It must have been the day before yesterday. She sighed, looking down at her petite frame. She didn't know if she could take one more missed meal.

Still clutching her stomach, she shuffled away from the river and took in her surroundings. The end of a sunken wooden canoe poked out of the water just off the shore. There was a 10 foot cliff separating the water's edge from the surrounding woods, but half a collapsed set of wooden stairs remained connecting the cliff to the shore. From the look of the sign by the stairs, this used to be a children's summer camp. Clementine was no longer struck by these dilapidated relics of another life. They were simply part of her reality.

She made her way to what remained of the stairs. She jumped with her arms outstretched, muscles straining and pain shooting through her legs. She pulled herself onto the platform and walked towards the woods. "Christa? Are you there?" she called out through the trees.

Clementine noticed a walker slumped on a rock by the edge of the cliff. Still shivering, she examined the sign lodged in its skull. It was hard to tell whether it was put there before or after it reanimated… _If the walker was killed by bandits, maybe Christa is still close by. I have to find her,_ Clementine thought. _She might be in trouble. …I might be in trouble._

Clementine walked into the woods cautiously, following a somewhat overgrown trail. Probably from the camp, Clementine thought to herself. She passed a sign warning of dangerous wildlife. Nervously, she scanned the trees around her, half expecting to see a bear lumbering behind any one of them

The freezing wind chilled Clem's still-damp body. She was struck by the vastness of the woods around her. _There might not be anybody for miles…._ She pushed that thought out of her mind and kept walking, jumping at every rustle in the underbrush.

Suddenly, she heard snuffling in the bushes. Eyes wide, she peered through the brush. Clementine's breath caught in her throat. An emaciated dog turned around and stared back at her. Clementine couldn't remember the last time she saw a living dog… _How had it survived so long without people?_

Her thoughts were interrupted by the dog's low threatening growl. It backed away from her slightly, ears back and tail lowered. "I-It's ok, boy, it's ok," Clementine soothed nervously. The dog barked in affirmation. Apparently it decided she wasn't a threat. Clementine smiled slightly to herself as she bent down to check the dog's collar. "Sam… Nice to meet you, Sam."

Sam walked off a ways, seemingly inviting Clementine to follow. "Hey… wait up!" Clem called, chasing after him.

They soon came to an abandoned camp. Ragged tents slumped in one corner, while a rusted shell of a minibus rested in another. Empty cans and old trash littered the campsite. Feeling her stomach growl, Clem scanned the site for likely hiding places for food. It looked fairly run over, but it was her best chance for now.

Clementine halfheartedly poked through some boxes around the campsite looking for food. Nothing useful immediately presented itself, but she did come across an old Frisbee in the dirt. Smiling to herself, she called Sam's name to get his attention. He ran up to her, his eyes questioning. "Look what I got, boy," she said, waving the frisbee. He pawed the ground, tail wagging wildly. "Go… get it!" she called, throwing the frisbee as far as she could. She watched Sam scamper across the camp, catching the Frisbee in midair before bringing it back to her and dropping it expectantly at her feet. The sheer normalcy of it was… surreal.

Turning away from Sam, Clementine turned her attention to more pressing matters. Her eyes fell on a garbage can full of old trash. _Haven't checked this one yet…_

She rolled up her sleeves and started to pick through the empty cans. This part always made her nervous. The sharp can lids were hardly sanitary and contracting tetanus wasn't high on Clementine's list of preferred deaths.

_Aha! Jackpot!_ Clementine lifted the familiar heaviness of a full can of food. She couldn't believe her luck. "Yes… thank you," she breathed. Sam's low growl made her turn around. He seemed to be disturbed about something on the far side of a nearby tree.

She shushed the dog, fearful of attracting walker attention. Walking towards Sam cautiously, Clementine caught sight of a walker tied to a tree by the side of the camp. "It's ok. He's dead," she informed Sam quietly. She sighed and grabbed a heavy branch. _What a hassle._ She silenced the walker's gurgles with a few good hits to the head. It took more out of her than she expected. She paused with her hands on her knees, breathing heavily. Her whole body still ached with cold and exertion. "I just need some food," she panted to Sam.

Looking back up at the walker, she noticed a medium-sized knife sticking out of its arm. "Looks like he tried to cut out the bite," she murmured. "But… that never works." She quickly swallowed down the lump in her throat and extracted the knife from the walker's arm with a quick yank. "Still pretty sharp," she said with a satisfied smile. "C'mon, let's get this can open."

Sitting down on a log, Clementine pierced the can lid with a few deft strokes of the knife. Looked like beans. She sniffed the food experimentally. "Seems ok," she shrugged. Reaching in with her hands, she hungrily scooped out handfuls of food and licked it off her fingers.

Sam sat by her feet, whining and wagging his tail for his share. Clementine frowned and turned away slightly. "There's barely enough for me," she scolded, eating another handful.

Sam's whines instantly turn to threatening growls. Clementine realized a split second too late the mistake she'd made. Sam lunged towards her, clamping his mouth over her forearm. Clementine yelped in pain and grabbed a rock, trying to beat the dog off her arm. When the dog's jaws relaxed, Clementine kicked it reflexively, sending it over a log and out of sight. Clementine braced herself for another attack, but instead heard the panicked whines of a dog in pain.

Breathing heavily and clutching her throbbing arm, Clementine slowly peered over the log, holding the knife ready in her good hand. Her stomach twisted when she saw Sam.

Her kick had impaled him on the old, rusting tent stakes. Unable to free itself, the dog was twitching and whining. _My friend…_

Clementine looked down on him with sadness clouding her face. She could only imagine the pain Sam was in. He hadn't meant to harm her; he was only acting on instinct. Leaning down, she drew her knife along his neck. "I'm sorry," she whispered as she left the camp behind her.


	3. Chapter 3

Dusk was falling over the woods. Clementine stumbled aimlessly, holding her bitten arm and fighting the waves of cold and pain flowing over her body. A feeling of desperation began to overcome her. Nobody was around for miles, she was hungry, hurt, and cold, and she felt like she had just killed a friend. A few stinging tears prickled in her eyes. She blinked them away quickly, but her feelings of isolation threatened to overwhelm her.

She curled up by a rock and took deep breaths, trying to think of a strategy. Her vision became fuzzy and her breathing shallow. Struggling to keep her eyes open, she became aware of the growling of walkers. Clementine mustered her last bit of strength and stumbled away as fast as she could. However, her shambling steps proved too slow for the walkers, as one grabbed her and toppled her to the ground. Running on a burst of adrenaline, Clementine held off the walker's rotting face, its stench filling her nostrils. Eyes wide, she had the fleeting thought that this may be the last sight she'll ever see.

Suddenly, the walker's head was struck clean off its neck and fell harmlessly to Clementine's side. Confused and struggling to focus her vision, Clementine glanced around to see a man looming over her with a machete. _Bandits?_ Arrows took out two more walkers behind him, and Clementine heard a voice yell, "I'm out. Grab her and let's go!"

"Come on, we gotta get," the first man said, and Clementine felt herself be pulled into the air by two strong arms. She struggled to remain conscious as the man carrying her sprinted away from the walkers.

After a few minutes of running, the men slowed and stopped, breathing heavily. "I think… I think we're safe," the older man panted out. "Yeah… yeah, we're good," agreed the other. Their attention turned to the girl nodding off in his arms. "Hey, are you alright?"

Clementine's heart pounded in her chest and she struggled to compose herself. She didn't want to come across as weak to the bandits. "I can walk," she managed to choke out.

The man holding her snorted. "Really? Because you didn't seem to be doin' so well back there."

Clementine scowled up at him. He chuckled at her expression. "You really can't argue with that, can you?"

The older man's face wrinkled with concern. "What are you doin' out here?" he asked.

"Yeah, where are the, uh…. The people you're with?" asks the man carrying Clementine. "You didn't make it all this way on your own, did you?"

"I… got lost," Clementine answered. _It's probably better to make them think someone's gonna come looking for me,_ she reasoned.

"Listen, I don't want them thinking we're doin' anything here but tryin' to help you," the older man told her. Clementine raised her eyebrows skeptically, but nevertheless felt a bit reassured. "You see how this could be… misconstrued," he continued.

"Yeah, I do," Clementine said pointedly.

After a pause, the younger man introduced himself. "I'm Luke, and that's Pete."

"Hi. I'm Clementine," she said, her expression guarded. She still wasn't sure how she felt about being so helpless around two strange men.

"It's nice to meet you," Luke smiled down at her. "For now, we're gonna take you back to our group, ok? We have a doctor with us, and you look like you could use some- OH SHIT-" Looking down at Clementine, Luke noticed the blood from the dog bite soaking through her sleeve and dropped her flat on her back. Clementine let out a cry as her weight crushed her arm, and she cradled it protectively.

"She's… she's been bit, man. FUCK!" Luke exclaimed as he held his head in his hands and paced. "Fuck fuck fuck… what are we gonna do here?"

Clementine looked up at him from the ground, struggling to stay calm in spite of the anger welling up inside her. The sheer unfairness of the situation put a lump in her throat. "No! It was a dog!"

"I didn't see any dog, Clementine," Pete said slowly, looking her up and down.

"Come on. Look, we just saw you with those lurkers back there," Luke said, still pacing.

"No, look at it!" Clementine offered. She struggled to keep her voice steady.

"Yeah, and have you sink your teeth into Pete's neck? No way," Luke scoffed.

Pete turned and raised his eyebrow. "My neck? Why'm I the one?"

"'Cause I don't know a dog bite from a mosquito bite from a lurker bite, man," Luke said, his eyes wide.

Clementine glared up at him from the ground. "It's not," she hissed. Luke turned away from her and folded his arms, his brow furrowed. Pete stood firmly. He seemed to be deep in thought.

After a long moment, Pete's face relaxed. "Hm. Alright. Let's see it," he declared.

Luke whirled around, concerned. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hey, watch yourself," he warned Pete. Clementine shot him another dirty look. Luke glared back down at her.

"Hey, don't look at me like that!" he said defensively. "You're the one that's bit here, okay?" He turned around again, his arms still crossed.

Pete kneeled next to Clementine and gently pulled up the sleeve of her wounded arm, revealing the bloody bite mark. Clementine winced as pain shot through her body. "See?" she said, watching Pete's face carefully. Pete stared hard at the bite. Luke looked too, turning around slightly to see what Pete thought. "Is it, uh… is it like she says?" he asked hesitantly.

"Hmmm," Pete exhales. "Well, could be a dog. Hard to say." His eyes moved to Clementine's. "So where'd this dog go?" he questioned. "The one that did this."

Clementine stared him right back with a stony expression. "I killed it," she answered. Luke's eyes widened in shock.

"What? Really? A dog shows up and bites you and you just kill it?" he asked incredulously. Pete gave him a disapproving look.

"What would you have done?" he asked.

"I don't know!" Luke exclaimed.

"It attacked me," Clementine said with an edge in her voice.

"Still! You don't…" Luke's expression softened. "You don't kill dogs."

Pete turned back to Clementine, his face serious. "Clementine?"

Clementine looked back. "Yes?"

"You tellin' us the truth?"

Clementine looked him dead in the eyes. "What do you think?" she asked him. Her voice was calm, but her golden eyes burned with indignation.

Pete held her gaze for a moment before looking down and shaking his head, a small smile on his lips. "Hmmph. Alright. That's good enough for me."

"Well, what else was she gonna say?" Luke scoffed.

"I've got a good bullshit detector, Luke. That's why you can never beat me at poker," Pete chuckled. He helped Clementine stand and started to walk down the path again as Luke looked on skeptically.

"You don't always beat me at… Alright, but how can you be sure?" he asked.

Pete looked at him disapprovingly. "Well, I'm sure I ain't willing to leave a hurt girl in the woods to die when we got a doctor with us that can make a call. We can have Carlos take a look at it first."

Luke's eyes darted back and forth between Pete and Clementine. "Nick ain't gonna like this…" he cautioned. "Not with what happened to-"

Pete's eyes glinted dangerously. "You don't have to remind me of that, boy," he said. Luke's gaze shifted downward apologetically.

"Right. Sorry, sir," he said softly. Pete clapped him on the shoulder before continuing down the path. Luke followed close behind. Looking ahead, Clementine noticed a small cabin through the trees in a clearing just ahead. She took a few shaky steps toward Luke and Pete. They turned to look at her when they realized she was lagging behind. Pete's face creased with concern. "Clementine, you feelin' all right?" he asked her.

Clementine tried to shake the heaviness off her limbs. "I'm… fine," she choked out. "just… tired…" The edges of her vision were getting fuzzy.

Luke looked at her disdainfully. "Well, you better be fine, because I'm not carryin' you anymore with that bite on your arm."

_His voice seemed so far away…_ Clementine tried to sound confident through the fog. "Don't worry… about…" Her voice faded and the world around her seemed to spin. She vaguely heard Luke swear before the ground came up to meet her and the world turned to black.


	4. Chapter 4

_Ow…_

A burning, throbbing pain brought Clementine back to Earth. _Wh… what happened?_ she thought through the haze. One more painful throb bought the day's events rushing back into her mind. Indistinct voices filtered through the darkness. Trying to open her eyes, Clementine found that her eyelids were glued together. She tried to focus her mind on the voices around her.

"Would someone mind telling me what the fuck is going on here?"

"Now hold on, Rebecca."

"We got this, don't worry."

"Like hell you do. Did anyone even think to ask where she came from? For all we know she could be working with Carver!"

Clementine managed to budge her eyelids. Blinking up at the sky, her vision cleared to reveal several dark figures standing over her. A panicked feeling quickly set in. Her body was so heavy and her thoughts so fuzzy… _What exactly are they talking about?_

"She already told us she got separated from her group. Then she was bitten by a dog." Pete's voice. Still blinking, Clementine lifted her head and tried to sit up.

"What? And you just believed her? You should have put her out of her misery right there. Dog bite my ass." The voice was much more distinct than before. Clementine looked up at her, a heavily pregnant black woman with a sour expression. The meaning of her last words hit Clementine hard. Eyes wide, she briefly entertained the idea of making a break for it then and there. _What could they do about it?_

Before she had a chance to get up and run, a gunshot rang out and she felt a spray of dirt hit her right side. She jumped, eyes wide with fear and whole body shaking, and tried to become as small as possible. The bullet couldn't have hit more than a foot away from her. _I've been captured by bandits. Crazy, crazy bandits,_ she thought wildly.

Pete moved quickly, pulling the rifle away from a much younger man in a baseball cap whose face looked as shocked as Clementine's. "Keep your finger off the trigger, boy," Pete rebuked, his face hard.

Luke came flying through the cabin door. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! What the fuck?" he called, running towards the group. The woman turned on the man in the cap.

"You idiot! Every lurker for five miles probably heard that," she spat.

"You're the one tellin' me to fuckin' shoot her!" he defended himself.

A deep voice spoke up for the first time. "Everybody just calm down for a second." A large black man stepped behind the woman and folded his arms.

Luke pushed through the group and knelt down next to Clementine. "You ok?" he asked, concerned.

Clementine struggled to articulate her thoughts. "I'm not… I'm not working for anyone. I'd really like to leave now. I don't want to cause any trouble. Okay?" She tried to look composed, but she had a feeling it wasn't working very well.

Luke shook his head. "No, no. Listen, we have a doctor right here. He's gonna have a look at you." He stood up and faced the others with an accusatory look. "Now what the hell is wrong with you people? She's just scared!"

The woman looked unimpressed. "We're all scared, Luke. Don't act like we're the ones being irrational because we don't buy this bullshit story." She stepped right up to Luke and stared him down, despite being at least 6 inches shorter than he was. Clementine glared up at her. _What a bitch._

The younger man stepped behind the woman and nodded in agreement. "No way she survived out here on her own. Why are we even arguing about this?"

A Latino man stepped into the circle authoritatively. "Let me take a look," he commanded in lightly accented English. The others moved out of his way as he approached Clementine. She stood up shakily and he held out his hand to look at her arm. She glared at him for a moment, but his expression betrayed nothing but indifference. Reluctantly, she put her injured arm in his hand.

The man rolled up her sleeve, revealing the torn and bloody flesh beneath. The black man made a sympathetic noise. "Damn, that must've hurt."

The doctor tilted her arm, examining it from all angles. Clementine winced as he pulled at the skin.

"Hmm," he murmured. "Whatever it was, it got you good."

The younger man was biting his thumb anxiously. Suddenly, he strode towards Clementine and the doctor with a determined expression. "This isn't how we do things, man. When you're bit, you get put down. End of story. I'm not goin' through this again."

Luke stepped between him and Clementine, trying to calm him down. "No one's suggestin' that."

Pete chimed in from the edge of the group. "We could take her arm off," he suggested. The whole group turned towards him, shocked. Clementine set her jaw and withdrew her arm quickly. "I know that worked for a cousin down in Ainsworth. We could try that." Clementine backed away from them defensively, anger in her eyes. _No way._ Why wouldn't they believe her?

"It won't do any good. You'll just be makin' it worse for the girl," the woman scoffed.

The door to the cabin creaked open and two little eyes peered out. A girl, perhaps in her early teens, crouched curiously in the doorway. "Who's she?" she piped up.

The doctor turned towards her reproachfully. "Sarah, what'd I say? Stay inside," he scolded. Visibly disappointed, she turned away and closed the door softly behind her. The man looked back at Clementine.

"Listen, I don't mean to be any trouble," she told him. "I just want to stop the bleeding and then I'll go. You'll never see me again, I promise."

"And where exactly would you go?" he prompted. Clementine noticed a strange note in his voice. _Was that skepticism? Suspicion?_

"I can take care of myself," Clementine told him, eyes narrowed.

The woman snorted. "Clearly." Clementine shot her a dirty look.

Luke spoke up. "Look, I may be in the minority here, but my gut tells me she's tellin' the truth. It probably is just a dog bite. …Probably." He shrugged.

The doctor walked towards the group and they all looked up at him, waiting for the verdict.

"So… what do you think?" the younger man asked. "Was it a lurker?"

"A bite like that could be anything," the doctor said, his arms crossed in front of him. "Only one way to find out."

"How?" Pete asked.

"We wait." The doctor looked at Clementine with a cold expression. "By tomorrow morning, if the fever's set in, we'll know if she's gonna turn. In the meantime, we can lock her in the shed." Everyone looked at each other. They seemed too surprised to object. Clementine looked from person to person angrily.

"Are you serious? I haven't eaten in days. Can't I have something to eat? And what about my arm? It needs to be cleaned and stitched and bandaged. If it gets infected, I'll get a fever even if it wasn't a walker bite." She couldn't believe these people. _Just my luck,_ she thought to herself with frustration.

Luke looked at the doctor uncertainly. "She's in bad shape, Carlos…" his voice trailed off.

"We have all that stuff inside the cabin," the black man offered. "We could probably…"

"Alvin, please!" the woman shot, forehead wrinkled in disapproval.

"But, yeah, can't do nothin'," he finished quickly.

"I'm not wasting supplies on a lurker bite," Carlos said with the same cold distance in his eyes. "If it turns out you're telling the truth, I'll clean it and stitch it up for you in the morning." He turned and walked into the cabin without another backward glance. The rest of the group began to file in after him.

Luke looked at Clementine sympathetically. "I'm sorry. It's the best we're gonna get," he told her.

Pete handed the rifle back to the younger man. "Finger off the trigger, son," he reminded him.

"I ain't your son," the man shot back, snatching the weapon.

"Don't be like that, man," Luke said, walking up behind him.

"It's all right," Pete reassured him. "Boy's got his mom's temper." Something like pride glimmered in his eyes.

"Come on." The man motioned for Clementine to follow him. She heard the woman's comments as she walked off toward the shed with Luke and the man.

"This is just a waste of time. You'll see. And when she turns, I ain't gonna be the one cleanin' up the shed."

Luke opened the shed. It was tiny, about the size of a walk-in closet. It smelled damp and unused. Clementine looked at the thin walls skeptically. It was going to be a cold night. The man with the rifle motioned for her to go inside, and she did so reluctantly, her face set. _Locked up at gunpoint, huh._ The doors creaked closed behind her, plunging Clementine into darkness.


	5. Chapter 5

It took about a minute for Clementine's eyes to adjust to the darkness. A dirty skylight on the roof let in a little murky light, but not enough to prevent Clementine from stubbing her toe when she stepped further into the shed. She winced and hopped on one foot for a moment.

Sighing, she considered her situation. _I need a plan, _she thought. Her first priority should be treating her arm. She frowned as she surveyed it in the dim light. It would definitely need stitches. She scowled to herself thinking about the callous doctor and the group outside. _What a bunch of nuts. _Bandits or not, leaving her in a shed to die was cruel. She wasn't going to stick around any longer than she had to.

Looking around the shed, she considered her next move. First and foremost, she needed supplies to treat her injury. She saw some 2 by 4s in the corner… an anvil… a life preserver… the outlines on the tack board above the workbench were the tools used to hang… nothing particularly useful. Her brow furrowed in worry.

Walking to the back of the shed, she noticed a tackle box hiding in the corner. She poked through it hopefully. _Aha!_ An old spool of fishing line. She pocketed it. It wasn't ideal, but it'd do in a pinch.

Clementine made a mental checklist of everything else she needed for her arm. _A needle, some bandages, and an antiseptic._ She took a deep breath. Standing up, she walked back to the doors and tried them doubtfully. Locked, of course.

She thought about her options. The skylight was too high up, and probably wasn't breakable. There wasn't much hope in breaking down the door, and the danger of walkers getting in was too much to risk it. She walked back to the tackle box and looked at the patch of wall behind it. The plywood here looked particularly fragile. she tried to pry it with her knife, but it wouldn't budge. The nails kept it firmly in place. _Surely there must be a tool I can use in here somewhere,_ she thought.

Sure enough, on a shelf near the roof, Clementine could see the handle of a hammer sticking out. She could just barely touch it when she stood on her tiptoes. Glancing down, she saw a fold-out table by the shelf. Propping it up, she stood on it and crawled onto the shelf to get the hammer. Just as she grabbed it, the shelf gave under her weight and she went crashing to the ground. _Shit._ She fell on her arm, hard, involuntarily letting out a surprised yelp. She held it close, eyes squeezed shut and tears gathering in her eyelashes. After the throbbing subsided, she took a deep breath and picked up her prize.

The plywood came off easily with the hammer. She ducked outside and snuck toward the house in a low crouch. Pausing, she glanced toward the woods, considering if it was better to leave while she still could. However, the sheer emptiness discouraged her from considering it further. No, it was better to stay where she knew there were supplies, at least until her arm was treated.

Reaching the side of the cabin, she began to circle around looking for a way to enter undetected. The front and back doors would probably lead to main rooms. _No telling who could be waiting there._ No, she needed something else. _A window to an empty room or something._

She got to the side of the deck. Clementine noticed a piece of wood that seemed to be patching a hole at the base of the deck. It was nailed fairly loosely. Pulling out her hammer, Clementine removed the nails quickly. Sure enough, it slid over to reveal a small hole in the latticework. She crawled inside under the deck.

She found herself under the foundation to the cabin. She listened to the indistinct voices that filtered through from above as she crawled through the cobwebs over the loose, damp dirt. They were too muffled for her to make out the conversation. She wrinkled her nose distastefully at the musty air and searched for a way into the house.

Looking up, Clementine noticed a trapdoor above her. She pushed on it hopefully, but it didn't budge. Exploring the catch with her fingers, she realized it must be locked from the inside. _Of course._ Maybe it was breakable.

She slid the blade of her knife into the lock and pushed, trying to pry it open. The blade broke with a sharp snap, along with the lock. She looked at the knife, disappointed, before tossing it away. _It's like going in naked. _Gathering herself, Clementine took a deep breath and slowly pushed the door open.


	6. Chapter 6

Clementine poked her head through the trapdoor. It seemed to open to some sort of closet. She breathed a sigh of relief and pulled herself into the house. Listening with her ear to the closet door, she overheard Pete and Carlos talking.

"I've already made my decision," rumbled Carlos's low voice.

"Well, Luke has more to say, I guess," Pete replied. "Where's Sarah?"

"She's got her book. She doesn't need to be a part of this," Carlos answered shortly.

As the voices faded, Clementine slowly pushed the door to the closet open. She stepped out into a living room area. Two couches were arranged around a coffee table. A poker game was lying, half-finished, on the table, illuminated by candlelight. Indistinct voices filtered in through another door. _Probably having a meeting of some sort,_ Clementine thought._ I got lucky._

She wasn't sure how much time she had, so she moved quickly. Eyes darting around the cabin, she tried to think of where they'd store the medical supplies. Not seeing much in the living room, she ventured upstairs to find the bathroom. Her heart skipped a beat every time a stair creaked.

By the time she reached the top, she was a sweaty, anxious mess. Trembling slightly, she opened the first door in front of her. _Shit, a bedroom. _Determined not to waste an empty room, she checked it anyway.

She skimmed the room as fast as she could, working methodically. Looting was a skill she'd honed with long months of practice. Opening a desk drawer, she found a roll of makeshift bandages. It'd have to work. _Still need a needle and some antiseptic…_

Back in the hall, she tried the next door. _Perfect, the bathroom._ She found a needle in the cabinet behind the mirror. Smiling, she poked it into the bandages, congratulating herself a little. _Maybe this isn't so hard after all,_ she thought. _Just need antiseptic and I'm out of here for good._

Just as she was about to leave the bathroom, she heard footsteps in the hall. Heart pounding, she pulled the shower curtain to the side and curled up in the bottom of the bathtub. Sure enough, the door opened.

"That man sometimes," a familiar voice muttered. _The pregnant woman from outside…_ Clementine scowled in her general direction.

Clementine listened as the woman splashed some water on her face. "Just need to have this baby…" she murmured. "Let it be ok… and… let it be his." She paused for a moment, leaning against the sink, before sighing and leaving the bathroom.

Clementine let out the breath she didn't realize she was holding. Hands still shaking, she stepped back into the hall and cautiously pulled open the last door.

A small gasp came from inside. Jumping, Clementine saw the teenaged girl from earlier. She was lying on a bed reading by the faint light of a heater. They stared at each other for a moment with wide eyes.

Clementine took advantage of the girl's surprise. She put a finger to her lips and came into the room, closing the door softly behind her.

"Y-you're not supposed to be in here," the girl said fearfully.

"Listen, don't tell anyone, okay?" Clementine whispered. "I'm not doing anything. I'm just trying to fix my arm." She stared at the girl intently. The girl was looking down and fidgeting. She refused to hold Clementine's gaze.

"Wh… um… what do you want?" she asked timidly.

Clementine sighed. "I need your help," she confessed. "Can you tell me where you guys keep the medical supplies? I need something to keep it from getting infected."

The girl eyed her cautiously. "My dad says I shouldn't talk to you. I'm gonna get in trouble."

Clementine looked down at her with her lips pressed together. It had been a long time since she'd met someone so young, and, truth be told, she wasn't sure how to handle it. _I can probably make her feel sorry for me, _Clementine thought. "Okay. Sure. I understand, I guess. My arm really hurts, though." Clementine watched her carefully. The girl looked unsettled.

"What… happened to it?" she finally asked.

"A dog bit me," Clementine answered. "Do you wanna see it?"

"O-okay," she stammered. Clementine rolled up her sleeve to reveal the bite. The bleeding had slowed to a gentle oozing, and the blood had crusted up and dried onto the skin of her arm. "Gross," the girl said, wrinkling her nose.

"Now will you help me?" Clementine asked. She tried to hide her exasperation.

The girl sat in thought for a moment. Finally, she answered. "I'll help you."

"Good," Clementine sighed. She relaxed a little and smiled. The girl perked up a little.

"I'm Sarah," the girl said.

"Hi, Sarah. I'm Clementine," Clementine answered.

Sarah looked up at her shyly. She seemed curious but intimidated by the older girl. Clementine cleared her throat, feeling awkward about being the subject of Sarah's curiosity. "I just need something to clean the bite and I'll go, okay?"

"Yeah, I'll go get it," Sarah said. She shuffled through a chest on the other side of the bed and came up with a bottle of peroxide. "This is what my dad uses for cuts," she told Clementine. "It'll work, right?"

Clementine nodded. "Yeah, it'll work." She pocketed it with the rest of her supplies. "Thanks, Sarah."

"You can't do it here, though!" Sarah burst out, concerned. "You'll get caught."

"Yeah, I know," Clementine said with a half-smile. _Is she trying to protect me? How cute. _She walked over to the door and opened it. "Maybe I'll see you again." She slipped through and closed it softly behind her.


	7. Chapter 7

Back in the shed, Clementine set up all the items she collected. Peroxide, bandages, thread, needle. She laid her arm on the work bench by her supplies and stared down at it, her face set. _This is gonna suck,_ she thought to herself, resigned.

She thought back to when Omid sliced his arm open on an exposed sheet of metal in an old gas station they were looting. Christa had patched him up, making sure Clementine had understood every step. Clementine closed her eyes and imagined Christa's voice guiding her through the steps.

_Alright, Clem, first, you need to disinfect the wound. It's gonna sting more than a little._ Clementine took a deep breath and unscrewed the bottle of peroxide. Hesitating for just a moment, she splashed it over the bite.

It felt like she had just set her arm on fire. She dropped the bottle and almost fell to the floor, tears wetting her eyelashes and body twisting and squirming in pain. White bubbles fizzed in the exposed tissue, finally dying down after about 30 seconds of agony.

_Get ahold of yourself, Clem. That isn't even the fun part,_ Christa's voice chastised. _Now you gotta thread the needle. Remember, go in through one side and out the other. Deep enough so the skin doesn't break. Don't leave too much space between stitches. Got it?_

Clementine threaded the needle and held it poised at the edge of the wound. She braced herself and swiftly pushed it through the skin.

More pain shot through her body. She screamed and dropped the needle, leaning against the table for support. She was starting to feel faint again. _You have to do this quickly, Clem._ Tears now streaming down her cheeks, Clementine sutured the rest of her wound, pausing and crying after each painful piercing of the skin. By the time she was done, there was a pool of tears on the table by her arm, and the edges of her vision were fuzzy and indistinct. She rested against the table for about a minute before tying the end of the fishing line and surveying her handiwork. _Not as good as Christa's, _she thought, wiping her nose. _But it's good enough._ After wrapping her arm carefully with the bandage, she sat down on the ground with her head between her knees, trying to regain her composure. Her arm didn't exactly feel better, but at least her shirt wasn't chafing at the exposed flesh anymore.

Her recovery was interrupted by the familiar gurgling of walkers. _Oh, shit._ Clementine looked at the hole in the wall just as a walker shoved itself in. _It was me, I was too loud,_ she thought desperately. It grabbed her leg before she had a chance to jump up, leaving her kicking at its head as hard as she could. Finally managing to wrench her foot away from its grip, she brought her hammer down on its head two, three, four times, until it laid quiet and lifeless on the floor of the shed.

Breathing heavily and adrenaline rushing through her, she collapsed on the floor across the shed. She heard footsteps outside and the doors swung open, revealing Luke's incredulous face. "Holy shit," he breathed, taking in the sight. "How did he even get in here?"

"This girl's tough as nails," Pete said, approval in his voice.

"Are you alright?" Carlos asked.

Still panting, Clementine glowered up at him. "I'm fine. And I'm still. Not. Bitten," she managed to spit out. "I never was. And you left me out here to die." Hot anger welled up in her chest, forming a lump in her throat.

Luke's eyes fell on her bandaged arm. "You patched yourself up?" he asked, surprised. Unable to speak, Clementine leaned back and closed her eyes as the group argued around her.

"Where'd you get that stuff?" the young man demanded.

"Did she steal from us?" gasped the woman.

"This doesn't change a thing," Pete said calmly. "She hasn't done anything to us."

"Says the man not carrying a baby," retorted the woman.

"Enough already! Relax, Rebecca," Pete said.

Carlos sighed. "Bring her in and I'll take a look at her arm." He turned back to the house, the others following behind.

Luke stayed behind, looking down at Clementine with a guilty expression. He offered a hand to help her up, but she scowled at him and stood up herself.

"You hungry?" he asked her. But Clementine walked past him into the house in silence.


	8. Chapter 8

In the cabin, Carlos examined her stitched arm. Luke and the younger man in the cap stood watching. "This might hurt a little," Carlos warned, probing the line with his fingers.

"Ow," Clementine winced.

"How's she look?" Luke asked, worried.

"Her suturing skills need some work, but otherwise I'd say she should be fine," Carlos answered. He rebandaged her arm and turned to wash his hands.

"So it wasn't a lurker bite?" Luke pressed.

"If it was, the fever would have already set in and her temperature would be through the roof," Carlos told him. His voice still had the same casual indifference. Clementine looked at him closely. _I doubt he would be so calm if it was Sarah's arm, _she thought with annoyance.

The man in the cap stomped out of the room, his face dark. Luke followed, looking guilty.

Clementine examined her newly bandaged arm. It still hurt, but the pain was manageable now. Carlos's voice rumbled at her over the water from the sink. "I wish you wouldn't have done what you did," he told her, his voice low. _About Sarah, probably, _Clementine thought.

"I was hurt. What was I supposed to do?" she asked defensively.

His voice gained an edge. "We put you in that shed out of concern for the safety of our loved ones. And then you escaped and manipulated my daughter into stealing from us." He threw the words like daggers. He shook the water off his hands and turned around. "I'll give you the benefit of the doubt, but there are a few things you need to know about my daughter. Once you're around her for a while, you'll understand. She's different. If she knew how bad the world is… what it's really like out there… she would cease to function." He paused, his eyes closed. "She's my little girl. She's all I have left. And I would ask that you stay away from her."

Clementine lowered her eyes. _She can't be your little girl forever, _she thought. She was too intimidated by Carlos to say it to his face, though. With his flannel shirt, muscular arms, and dark hair, he looked like a woodcutter from a fairy tale. _Or maybe just a lumberjack. _"Okay. I'm sorry," she finally conceded.

He stared at her for a few more moments before turning and leaving the kitchen. Luke passed him on the way in, carrying a bowl of rice. He put on a little smile when he saw Clementine.

"Hey, uh, brought you some food if you're hungry," he offered.

Grateful, Clementine sat at the table and greedily shoveled mouthfuls of rice in the candlelight. Luke sat across from her with a proud smile, looking like he'd just won over an enemy of a thousand years.

"That's gonna leave one helluva scar," he commented, looking at her bandaged arm.

Clementine didn't pause. "It doesn't bother me," she said with her mouth full of food.

The door to the kitchen creaked open, and Clementine looked up to see the younger man standing in the doorway. He walked over to Clementine and hovered by her for a second.

"Hey, look," he said abruptly. "I just wanted to say I'm sorry for… well… for being a dick out there." He rubbed the back of his head uncomfortably. "I got kinda aggro and that was definitely not cool."

"Nick's been known to go off every once in a while," Luke explained. "Don't hold it against him."

Clementine looked up at Nick. She was a bit surprised he was even here apologizing. She shrugged nonchalantly. "Don't worry about it," she told him, still chewing rice.

"I didn't mean to be so harsh. I just… we had a bad experience once," Nick said quietly.

"It's cool, man," Clementine nodded. "Don't worry." She was more interested in the food in front of her than giving Nick a piece of her mind. _It's not like I'll be sticking around anyway, _she reasoned.

Nick gave her a small smile before turning and leaving the room.

"So," Luke said. "Since you're pretty much on your own, what's your plan?"

Clementine slowed down and looked up at him. She swallowed before responding. "I'm thinking about moving on," she told him. "My arm's gonna be okay, so there's really no reason for me to stay." _Besides, you guys have some batshit crazy folks, _she wanted to add, but she was feeling generous because Luke gave her food.

"Well, you're welcome to stay here if you want. You can let yourself heal up and take some time to sort things out," he told her. His brown eyes were warm.

Clementine raised one eyebrow. "Don't know how everyone else would feel about that, though," she said.

"They'll just have to deal with it," he said with a half-smile. She gave him a grateful look, and he held her gaze for a moment until Pete walked in.

"I hate to interrupt, but I'm out there standing watch and I can't help but notice this place is lit up like a goddamned beacon in the middle of the woods," he said.

"Yeah, it's time to turn in anyways," Luke agreed. He stood up and put Clementine's dish in the sink before leaving the kitchen.

Pete looked at Clementine for a long moment, his eyes kind. Clementine looked down and spoke softly. "Thanks."

He nodded, and they shared an understanding. It was reassuring to have an ally. He turned and left.

"Oh, you're still here." The pregnant woman lumbered in carrying dishes. Clementine returned her look of disapproval. "I wouldn't get comfortable if I were you," the woman told her as she put the dishes in the sink. "You got what you came here for. Now go." Clementine said nothing, only scowled. She knew better than to engage this woman. The woman held her gaze for a moment before leaving with a final contemptuous "hmmph."

Clementine waited until she was gone before leaving the kitchen, collapsing on a couch in the living room. Full, warm, and comfortable, she was asleep before her head hit the pillow.


	9. Chapter 9

When Clementine woke, the sunlight was already bright and strong. She sat up and rubbed her eyes, looking around the room. She couldn't remember the last time she'd slept so well; she actually felt rested.

Clementine wondered where everyone was. Standing up groggily, she noticed the clinking of dishes in the kitchen. She yawned and wandered in, finding the large black man from earlier washing dishes with a content expression. She watched him for a moment before speaking up. "Um… hi. Can I help you with those?" she asked tentatively.

He turned and smiled at her. "Sure, why don't you dry. Towels are over there," he told her. Clementine complied, wiping the moisture off the dishes he handed her and piling them neatly next to the sink.

"I don't think I ever caught your name," he prompted.

"I'm Clementine," she answered. "And you're…?"

"Alvin," he smiled. "Look, I'm sorry we met the way we did. Hard to take chances like that when people's lives are on the line, though." Clementine looked up at him from the corner of her eye. It was hard to be mad at a man with such a pleasant, calm demeanor. Her attention turned to the sink.

"How do you guys have running water?" she asked curiously.

"Been a while since you've seen that, huh," he chuckled. "The cabin seems to get water from a well. Whoever used to live here was too far in the woods to have city water, so the plumbing still runs."

"Do you guys take showers?" Clementine asked incredulously. It was a luxury she hadn't had for a long time.

"Well, not hot ones, no. No power," he explained. "You can go get cleaned up, if you want. Looks like you could use it." His eyes crinkled at her from behind his glasses.

"Really? Do you mind if I… can you finish here on your own?" Clementine asked, excited.

"Go ahead," he smiled. "Upstairs bathroom. Might wanna go track down Rebecca and Sarah first, though. You won't wanna put on those clothes again after you're done. I think they're outside doing laundry."

Clementine nodded and opened the back door, stepping into the clearing behind the cabin. She saw Sarah and Rebecca draping wet clothing on the branches of a tree to dry. Rebecca scowled when she saw Clementine, but Sarah smiled shyly.

Clementine cleared her throat. "Alvin said I could get a change of clothes from you guys…" she started.

"Hmph," Rebecca snorted. "That's awfully generous of him. I doubt anything we have that'd fit you, though." She pursed her lips and looked Clementine up and down.

Sarah spoke up softly. "I bet you could use something of mine," she offered. "We're about the same height. Come on, I'll get you something."

Clementine followed her inside the cabin and upstairs into a bedroom. Fishing through a bedroom, Sarah handed her a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. Clementine held them up to herself.

"Yeah, I think it'll work," she nodded. Sarah grinned and fidgeted, looking down at the ground. "Thanks, Sarah."

"You're welcome," Sarah answered, biting her lip.

Clementine went to the bathroom, closing the door behind her. Sighing, she examined herself in the mirror. _I look like shit,_ she thought. She pulled the rubber band out of her ponytail, letting her short, densely curly hair settle around her face in a cloud. Her smooth, mocha-colored skin was taut over her sharp cheekbones. Her amber eyes probed at her own reflection, piercing and intense. She had the hungry look of a scavenger.

She found a bar of soap on the edge of the tub, and she turned on the water, marveling at the simplicity of the motion. Fresh, clean, cold water came spraying out instantly. She stripped quickly and stepped under the shower, shivering and giggling like a little girl, keeping her injured arm out of the stream. It was freezing and delightful. Clementine grinned watching the dirty water whisk down the drain under her feet.

Clementine didn't turn off the water until her fingers were thoroughly pruned and her hair was soaked. Stepping out, she toweled off and pulled on Sarah's clothes. The jeans fit fine, but the shirt was a little tight over Clementine's chest. _Oh well, can't be helped._ Clementine was just happy to have clean clothes. Dropping her old clothes in a laundry hamper, Clementine toweled off her hair one last time and tied it back in a tight ponytail. She descended the stairs again in high spirits.

Returning to the kitchen, Clementine found Alvin laying fish fillets next to the fire in the fireplace. He smiled when he saw her. "Feeling better?" he asked.

"Much," Clementine smiled.

"I was just getting these fish ready for dinner. Want to help? You can rinse this rice and put it over the fire. I need someone to keep an eye on it," he offered, motioning to a pot of rice by his side.

"Sure," she answered, picking up the pot. She took it to the kitchen and rinsed the rice several times before carrying it back and setting it up over the fire, covering it with a lid to cook. "So who is everyone around here, if you don't mind my asking? I haven't really met everyone yet."

"Hmmm," Alvin considered. "Well, you already met Luke and Pete, I guess. Pete's nephew is Nick, with the dark hair and baseball cap. Rebecca is my wife. Carlos is the one who treated your arm, and Sarah is his daughter."

"But who's in charge?" Clementine pressed.

"I reckon we all are," he answered. "I guess we try to make decisions as a group. 'Course, that don't always work out."

Clementine absorbed the information. They certainly had a nice setup here, but the group seemed so unstable. She stirred the rice absently and wondered whether the showers were worth such a risky group.

"I think we're just about ready," Alvin announced, interrupting Clementine's thoughts. "Why don't you go round everyone up and we'll eat."

Clementine jumped up and went outside to tell Rebecca and Sarah. She found them talking to Pete, Nick, and Luke. Luke waved when he saw her.

"Where were you guys?" Clementine asked, curious.

"We went huntin'. Didn't get anything, though," Pete told her.

"Ah," Clementine nodded. _So that was where all the fresh food came from._ "Well, Alvin says dinner is ready. Do you know where Carlos is?"

"I'll go get him," Sarah said, skipping into the cabin. The rest of them filed in after her, Clementine trying to ignore Rebecca's icy stare.

Dinner was quiet. It was hard to talk over the mistrustful looks Carlos and Rebecca kept shooting towards Clementine. Luke cleared his throat. "So, uh, how are you feelin', Clementine? Arm any better?"

"Oh, yeah, it feels pretty good," she answered, looking down at it and flexing it experimentally. "I'd love to help out tomorrow, actually. To make up for the food you've given me."

"Well, you're welcome to come with me and Nick to check the fishing traps," Pete offered. "We leave bright and early."

"Yeah, that sounds great," Clementine agreed. She half-expected Rebecca to object to her staying another night, but Rebecca only picked at her food in stony silence. Clementine wasn't sure if this was a good sign.

After dinner, the group set up a poker game around the coffee table by the candlelight. Clementine got the feeling this was a regular ritual for them as people settled into familiar seats. Alvin and Rebecca together on a couch, Carlos on a chair with Sarah watching from the armrest next to him, Pete and Nick on the other couch, and Luke on the floor. Luke patted the spot next to him, offering her a place. Clementine slid next to him shyly. It had been a while since she'd done anything with people just to have fun. "Fun" wasn't part of her life.

Luke seemed to notice her unfamiliarity. "Don't you know how to play? We can teach you," he offered.

Clementine shook her head. "I know how to play, but I think I'll just watch a round, if that's ok," she answered.

"Suit yourself," Luke shrugged.

They soon settled into the game, relaxing into the rhythm of playful competition. Clementine watched from the sidelines, feeling a bit out of place.

Suddenly, she noticed Sarah had slipped in behind her and was watching her intently. Clementine looked at her, bemused. Sarah leaned forward and began asking questions in whispers, her former shyness quickly slipping away. "Where did you come from? Did something happen to your family? How many lurkers have you killed?"

Clementine looked nervously at Carlos, but he seemed to be absorbed in the game. "Um, I come from Marietta, Georgia. I lost my family at the beginning. I'm not sure how many. A lot, I guess."

Sarah listened with her eyes wide in awe. "Have you ever killed someone? Sometimes that happens in my books. Have you ever seen it in real life?"

Clementine swallowed and looked away. She tried to think of a way to divert the question. "You like books, huh? What kind of books do you like to read?"

Sarah's face brightened and she answered excitedly. "I like fantasy books. Like time travel and dragons. Sometimes I imagine I'm a time traveler, too. I think I'd want to go back in time to visit aliens." Clementine leaned back and listened to Sarah chatter, glad that she was so easy to distract. Sarah didn't need much prompting to keep talking, just a few nods and smiles from Clementine.

Finally, the game seemed to draw to a close and Carlos stood up, summoning Sarah to go upstairs. "It's time to go to bed," he told her firmly.

"Yeah, I'm beat," Alvin yawned.

The group dispersed from the living room as Luke put away the cards and chips.

"Remember, Clementine, bright and early tomorrow," Pete winked.

Clementine nodded and smiled. "Night, Pete," she waved.

She relaxed into the softness of the couch and stared at the ceiling, listening to the creaking and settling of the cabin until she fell asleep.


	10. Chapter 10

AN: thanks for those kind reviews, I blushed :O

The next morning, Clementine walked along next to Pete on the path to the river as the sun was rising above the treetops. The birds chirped a cheerful chorus around them, and the sharp morning air smelled fresh and earthy.

"How far are these fish traps?" Clementine asked, making conversation.

"It ain't much further," Pete reassured her. He noticed Clementine looking curiously at the rifle in his hands. "Can't you shoot?" he asked. "I mean, anyone taught you proper? Any idiot with a finger can shoot."

"Yeah, but not a rifle," she answered. "I've just never had to use one, I guess."

Pete chuckled. "Probably for the best. With your size, this thing would knock you on your ass. You know, I remember the first time I took Nick huntin'. Came across this beautiful 13-point buck just standin' there on the ridgeline. The boy takes the rifle, he lines up the shot just like I taught him… then I hear him start whinin'. He turns to me and he says, 'I can't do it. I can't shoot it, Uncle Pete. Please don't make me shoot it!'" Clementine smiled.

"Hey!" Nick came running down the path behind them. "Why didn't you wait?"

"You want us standin' around while you piss on a tree? You know where the river is, boy," Pete said, shaking his head. He turned back toward Clementine, continuing the story. "Anyway, so I grab the gun out of his hand before this big buck runs off when BANG! The gun fires. Boy nearly gut shot me. And of course the buck gets away." Nick looked angrily from Pete to Clementine as he realized what Pete was telling her.

"What're you goin' and tellin' her this shit for?" he demanded.

Pete turned on him. "'Cause you almost blew her face off. Seems relevant. Tryin' to let her know it's nothin' personal with you."

Nick lowered his rifle and narrowed his eyes at Pete. "Why're you always givin' me a hard time?" he asked.

"Because you're always givin' everyone else a hard time," Pete answered calmly.

"I apologized already. She accepted," Nick told him, almost pleadingly. "And yet you're always tryin' to embarrass me."

"You're doin' a good enough job of that on your own," Pete said, his voice raised a notch. Nick shouldered past him, walking down the path with a set face. "Leavin' us agai-"

"I know where the fuckin' river is," Nick spat.

Clementine and Pete watched him walk down the path ahead. Pete turned back to Clementine.

"So anyway, I found that buck later that season. Shot it right in the neck. Brought it up to my sister's figurin' she'd wanna freeze some of the meat. Nick didn't speak to me for weeks." Pete sighed, an emotion flickering across his face. _Regret?_ "Sometimes you gotta play a role. Even if it means people you love hate you for it," he finished. Clementine looked up at him, biting her lip.

"He doesn't hate you, you know," she said softly. Pete's face softened. He looked down at her gratefully.

Suddenly, Nick's voice rang out through the woods. "Uncle Pete!" His voice was urgent.

Pete and Clementine ran to meet Nick at the river, stopping short when they saw what was there.

"Jesus, Mary, and Joseph," Pete whispered softly.

Illuminated in the early morning light, the riverbank was littered with human bodies. They were strewn haphazardly on the ground, faces mangled and clothes bloodstained. Pete walked up to the closest body and poked it hesitantly with his rifle. He turned back to Clementine and Nick, his face creased with anxiety. "Fulla holes," he reported.

"Who do you think did this?" Clementine asked, scared.

"Not sure yet," Pete answered. "But it ain't your average gang o'thugs, that much I know."

Nick stared at Pete with a frightened look. "Think about it. You're Carver. What do you do?"

"Who's Carver?" Clementine probed. Pete and Nick exchanged glances before looking away from Clementine. Clementine's brow furrowed. _They're hiding something._

"Check those guys there," Pete instructed Nick, pointing down the riverbank. "Be careful. Some of 'em might still be movin'." Pete walked towards the bodies on the other side of the clearing. Clementine gazed out into the river, looking at a small island just off the bank.

"There are more out there," she pointed out to Pete.

"This wasn't no rinky-dink pissin' match," Pete said darkly.

"What was it then?" Nick asked him.

"Fubar," Pete declared. _Fucked up beyond all reason._ He approached the bodies lying on the island in the river.

"Where are you going?" Nick demanded. "We need to get the fuck outta here!"

"Gotta check the rest," Pete told him.

"What? Why?" Nick asked, disbelieving.

"Calm down and think about it, son," Pete said, exasperated, as he waded through the river.

Clementine turned towards Nick. "What if someone's alive, Nick?" she asked. "They might be able to tell us who did this." She hopped on rocks in the river towards Pete.

"This is a dumb idea," Nick warned, looking around anxiously.

"You know, Nick, I don't like this either. But sooner or later you're gonna have to realize a simple truth," Pete told him, irritation in his voice.

"What? That you're an asshole?"

Pete raised his voice. "That nobody in this world is ever gonna give a goddamn whether you like somethin' or not. You gotta grow up, son." He looked at Nick intently.

"Whatever," Nick huffed dismissively. He stomped off down the riverbank.

Pete turned away, disappointment on his face. "C'mon, Clem," he told her. "Keep a lookout on that treeline. Whoever did this might still be out there, waitin' for another sucker to stumble across this mess."

Clementine walked towards the other side of the island. Gasping, she noticed a flash of purple next to one of the bodies. _My backpack!_ She crouched next to it and pulled it toward her.

Suddenly, she was aware of motion beside her. One of the bodies moved and blinked, looking up at her helplessly. The man coughed, his jaundiced eyes pleading with Clementine. She looked from the man to the backpack, quickly piecing together who he was. She narrowed her eyes.

"You were in the woods with Christa," she said, her voice low. "The woman I was with. What happened to her? Please. Tell me. Tell me!" she demanded.

He kept coughing, reaching out weakly for the water bottle in the backpack. He spoke, his voice dry and scratchy. "Please…" he begged.

Anger welled up in Clementine's chest. Shaking a little, she zipped up the backpack and slung it over her shoulder. The man looked up at her helplessly as she stood up, glaring down at him.

Pete's cry rang out over the river. "AARRGHH!" He backed away from a walker grasping at his ankles, shooting it with his rifle.

"Pete!" Nick yelled from the other side of the river.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," Pete panted, his hands on his knees. "Just… just lost my footing! Dammit… Goddammit…"

Clementine's eyes went from the walker at his feet to his torn pants to the bloody flesh beneath. Understanding dawned on her, making her stomach sink. She shared a terrified look with Pete.

"Shit! Lurkers!" Nick's voice cried out from the one side of the river.

"I'm out of ammo! Get your asses over here!" Pete yelled from the other.

Walkers, attracted by the gunshot, advanced on both Nick and Pete. Looking from one to the other wildly, Clementine made a mad dash over to Nick, splashing through the water and dodging walkers. Just as she reached Nick, Pete's screams became increasingly desperate, and they both watched helplessly as Pete was overcome by walkers. Nick reloaded as quickly as he could, but by the time he shot the walkers on the other side of the river, Pete was already gone.

Nick stared at Pete's lifeless figure, horrified. Clementine pulled at his arm. "Nick, we've gotta go," she begged.

He turned on her with a wild look. "You could've saved him," he accused. "How could you just leave him?"


	11. Chapter 11

Clementine pressed her back against the door.

Walkers threw themselves onto the other side, gurgling and thumping at the wood. Every dull thud sent Clementine and Nick lurching forward, struggling to keep their footing. Clementine pushed with her entire body weight. _Maybe this shed wasn't such a safe place to hide,_ she thought desperately.

Suddenly, Nick walked off into the shed, leaving Clementine alone at the door.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Clementine hissed. The doors opened a crack, and Clementine just barely managed to keep them from opening further. Arms burning, she was just wondering how much longer she could hold them off when Nick appeared behind her with a crate. Shoving the crate against the door, they both stepped back and waited a few tense moments to see if it would hold.

When walkers didn't immediately break down the door, Clementine breathed a sigh of relief. Nick walked over to the wall and sat down while Clementine surveyed their surroundings. They seemed to be in a dark one-room structure. Dim light filtered in through the dirty windows. Nick stared ahead with unfocused eyes, his face bleak.

"Why'd you leave my uncle?" he finally asked.

Clementine looked down at the floor. "Pete was bit," she told him quietly.

Nick's eyes widened and he looked right at her. "What?" he gasped.

"He got bit. Back at the stream. He wasn't going to make it." Nick looked at her with pain in his eyes. She couldn't hold his gaze. She didn't know what to say in a situation like this.

Clementine stepped further into the shed, glancing at the grimy shelves. "What do we do now?" she asked.

"I don't care," Nick answered, his voice monotone.

Clementine sighed and investigated the shelves at the back of the room for an exit. Sliding a piece of plywood to the side, she found dozens of jars of amber liquid. This piqued Nick's interest.

"What is that stuff? Let me see," he asked Clementine.

She brought him a jar disdainfully. "Moonshine, I guess. Really old moonshine." She wrinkled her nose. She couldn't even handle beer.

Nick unscrewed the lid and sniffed it experimentally before taking a swig. He coughed a bit and brought his fist down on the table. "Aaah," he breathed. "Whiskey."

"Now what?" Clementine asked, arms crossed. She didn't approve of this new development. Nick downed another swig of whiskey.

"Aw, fuck if I know," he grumbled. "We wait, I guess."

Clementine sat down by Nick and took off her backpack, falling asleep before the sun reached the top of the sky.

She woke to the sound of glass breaking. Jolting awake, she opened her eyes to see the shed bathed in moonlight. Nick was no longer next to her. She jumped as another jar crashed against the stone wall. Looking out the window anxiously for walkers, she approached where Nick was sitting at the back of the shed. He was slumped against the wall next to the shelf full of whiskey, throwing jars across the shed with a bored expression. _Either bored or hopeless._

Clementine leaned against the shelf with her arms crossed. She started to speak. "Nick…" But she wasn't sure what to say. He launched another jar at the wall and grabbed another, drawing his arm back to throw it… but he dropped his arm again weakly. He stared down at the ground with the same unfocused eyes.

"I had to kill my mom," he said in a low voice. Clementine let her arms fall to her sides and looked at him, horrified. "Hm. That sounds weird when I say it out loud, huh?" Clementine took a step forward, uncertain, but stopped. She bit her lip and sadness clouded her face.

"Luke always used to push me," Nick continued. "I never wanted to go into business with him." He cradled the jar in his hands. "I remember when he sold me on it. His big plan. Some fuckin' plan. A case of beer and he just said, 'Nick, we're burnin' daylight.' And that was that."

Clementine knelt down and scooted towards him until her knees almost touched his legs. He opened the jar and stared at it. "After six months, we were flat broke. But I didn't care. We were havin' fun." He took a swig of whiskey. "I wish I was like him. I wish I could just keep movin' all the time. I'm just not… built like that."

_Should I reach toward him? Am I supposed to comfort him now?_ Clementine wondered. Her eyes fell to his knee, but touching him in a time like this felt… invasive, somehow.

Nick kept going. "Everyone I grew up with… It all… happened to them. And now it's gonna happen to us." He looked at Clementine darkly. "We're all so fucked."

Clementine opened her mouth, but how could she refute something that so often haunted her own thoughts?

"I mean, what's the point?" Nick asked. "We'll just march to some new place and somebody else will die. It's never gonna stop. And eventually, it'll be our turn."

He lifted the jar of whiskey to his lips for another sip, but Clementine reached out and grabbed his wrist. He looked at her, surprised, and she gently pried the jar out of his hand. He didn't resist. She set it carefully back on the shelf without letting go of his arm. Sliding next to him with her back against the wall, she held his hand in both of hers and leaned her head on his shoulder. She tried to concentrate everything she didn't know how to say into Nick's hand, hoping desperately that he would understand.

Clementine wasn't sure how long they sat like that. By the time she looked up again, morning sunlight was beginning to illuminate the cabin. Did I fall asleep? she wondered, stirring slightly against Nick. She felt him move, too, and he withdrew his hand from hers. He cleared his throat.

"Listen, they're not comin' for us. You should go. Run for it." He didn't turn his head.

Clementine scooted away from him and turned her head, looking at his face closely. "But what are you gonna do?" she asked, concerned.

He stared ahead hopelessly. "Stay here. I'm tired."

Clementine stood up and moved into his line of sight, looking at him with a determined expression. "No. I won't let you. You're coming with me," she told him flatly.

He gave a hollow laugh. "Are you kiddin'? And leave all this?" He shook his head.

Clementine's voice gained a note of urgency. "You can't just sit here and die."

"Why not?" he asked. "What does it matter?"

"You still have Luke and everyone else. They're family, aren't they?" Nick looked away from her. She sighed, pleading now. "Nick. I need your help. Please." _I'm not about to let you die here, drunk and alone._

Nick stared ahead for a long moment. His eyes finally rose to meet Clementine's. "You're right." His voice cracked. He stood up unsteadily. "Now look, if we get separated, the cabin's only about a half a mile from here. You can't miss it." Clementine nodded, smiling up at him gratefully. He held her gaze for a moment before looking away. "You ready?" he asked.

Clementine walked over to the door and tugged the crate away from it, listening with her ear to the wood for any remaining walkers. Hearing nothing, she cracked the door open slightly and peered outside. Nodding to Nick, they both crouched and snuck outside quietly.

They hadn't made it five feet before a familiar growling sound met their ears. A walker stumbled at Clementine from the woods at the side of the shed. Nick stepped between them quickly, slashing the walker's head with a knife clenched in his fist. "Ha! Fuck you, motherfucker," he yelled triumphantly. _How drunk was he?_ Clementine wondered incredulously.

A dozen walkers from the woods around them turned and began shuffling toward the pair. "Aw, shit," Nick grumbled. He looked at Clementine for a moment before running a ways away from her, waving his hands. "Hey! Over here!" he called. "C'mon, you fucks! Look at me!"

"Nick?!" Clementine hissed at him. She ran next to him and tried to pull him away with her.

"Get the fuck out of here. Go!" He shoved her away. Clementine fell to the ground, hard, and he moved away from her, still calling and waving.

Clementine scrambled up and ran for the cabin as fast as her legs could go.


	12. Chapter 12

Clementine burst through the back door of the cabin, out of breath from running. She stopped with her hands on her knees, looking up to see Carlos and Rebecca sitting at the kitchen table with sleepless eyes. Carlos jumped up when he saw her.

"Clementine! Are you all right?" he asked. He peered out the door behind her. "Luke's not with you?"

Rebecca stood up, distressed. "Where's Alvin?" she cried.

They advanced towards her, barraging her with questions.

"What happened?"

"It's been hours. Where are they?"

Clementine couldn't look them in the eyes. "Pete got bit," she told them.

"What?" Rebecca's eyes went wide and she shook her head in disbelief.

"What happened?" Carlos asked again.

"Walkers," Clementine answered. _What else?__  
_

Carlos looked shocked. "My God," he breathed.

Rebecca looked at Clementine intently, approaching until she was inches away from Clementine's face. "Where were you? Where were you exactly?" she demanded.

Clementine backed away a step, still not making eye contact. "Down by the stream," she answered.

Rebecca turned to Carlos with determination. "We gotta go," she commanded.

"Just hold on a minute," Carlos told her. He looked shaky.

Rebecca's tone turned to desperation. "My husband is still out there! Get the guns," she begged. Carlos finally nodded and strode off into the cabin. Rebecca turned to follow him, looking back over her shoulder at Clementine. "Luke and Alvin went out looking for you. I told them not to go… Dammit, Luke." Her voice sounded choked. She was probably close to tears.

Carlos returned with rifles, handing one to Rebecca before heading out the door. He paused at the doorway, turning back toward Clementine with a pleading expression. "Clementine, can you… can you please watch Sarah? She's upstairs. Just distract her. And don't tell her anything!"

Clementine nodded seriously. "I'll take care of her. Don't worry."

Carlos looked relieved. "Thank you. You'll be safe inside." He turned and followed Rebecca out of the cabin.

Clementine walked up the stairs to Sarah's room. When she opened the door, Sarah sprang up from behind the bed with an instant camera. "Say cheese!" she giggled, snapping a picture of Clementine's shocked face. She chattered while the camera printed the picture. "I found this under the house. There was all kinds of old stuff!" She pulled out the picture and handed it to Clementine. She stared at her own scared face, biting her lip. Sarah began waving the camera at her excitedly. "Take one of me!" she begged. "Come on, take one of me!"

Clementine sighed and took the camera. "Don't scare people like that," she chided as she looked at Sarah threw the viewfinder. "Ready?"

Sarah gave a goofy grin and Clementine snapped the picture. She handed the picture to Sarah and she laughed delightedly at her own pose. Clementine did her best to play along, but the night's events weighed heavily in her mind. Sarah noticed her distance and her smile faltered.

"What's wrong?" she asked, a worried look taking over her face. "Um, where's my dad?"

Clementine looked her in the eye. "He'll be ok," she reassured her.

Sarah turned around and began breathing quickly. "Sorry… I just n-need to- to…" She sat down suddenly and hugged her legs to her chest. Clementine knelt next to her, examining her face anxiously. _I bet she has panic attacks._

Clementine looked at her intently. "Look at me, Sarah. Your dad is gone right now, but he'll be back soon. I promise. I'll keep you safe while he's gone, okay?" Sarah looked up at her doubtfully and Clementine did her best to look authoritative.

"O-okay," Sarah said, her breathing slowing. Once her breathing was back to normal, she brightened up. "Hey, do you wanna see what I found?" She scooted to her bed and picked up something shoved deep underneath it. She brought it out and showed Clementine excitedly. _A handgun._

"Will you show me how to use it?" she asked hopefully, her eyes bright. "I couldn't find any bullets."

Clementine looked from Sarah to the gun uncertainly. "As long as you don't tell your dad, I guess," she finally gave in. She looked at Sarah with an intense expression. "But you have to understand that this isn't a toy and it's not a game. You need to do exactly as I say." Sarah's eyes went wide and she nodded seriously.

Clementine thought back to when Lee taught her to shoot. _What was it he said?_ She searched her memory for the right words. "Alright, first, remember that it's just a thing."

Sarah pretended to aim the gun playfully. "What does that mean?" she asked.

"It means you don't have to be scared of it, by itself. It'll only do what you tell it to," Clementine tried to explain. "It's people you should be scared of."

"I thought it'd be heavier," Sarah commented, still pretending to aim. "Okay, so what do I do?" She looked at Clementine for direction.

"When you go to shoot, take a breath before you pull the trigger. Don't jerk the trigger, pull it evenly toward you. Never aim at something you don't want to kill." Clementine went behind Sarah and showed her how to properly hold the gun. "Look through that notch to aim. Got it?"

Sarah lowered the gun, her brow furrowed. "I don't know if I can remember all that." She pointed the gun at different things in the room. "What should I shoot?" she asked, pointing at Clementine.

Clementine instinctively pulled the gun out of Sarah's hands. "Don't do that," she threatened Sarah, her eyes burning. "What did I just tell you?"

Sarah looked down fearfully and began apologizing. "I- I- I'm s- sorry! I didn't mean to!" She covered her mouth with her hands.

Clementine looked at her seriously. "I meant what I said. When you aim a gun at something, you have to be ready to kill it." Sarah nodded several times, eyes still wide. Clementine slowly handed her back the gun, and Sarah took it much more gingerly than before. _Good,_ Clementine thought. _She should respect it._

Glancing out the window, Sarah's eyes brightened. "Hey, Luke's back," she pointed out, and she quickly shoved the gun back under the bed and ran downstairs. Clementine followed, slower, suspicious that Luke would return by himself. Sarah was hiding behind a couch when Clementine got downstairs. She looked terrified.

"That's not Luke," she shook her head fearfully. She began to panic. "Clem, I think I know him." Her voice was rising hysterically. A few sharp raps sounded at the door. "He can't see me. You have to make him go away." Clementine put her hands on Sarah's shoulders and looked her in the eyes.

"You have to find somewhere to hide, Sarah. Can you do that for me? I'll distract him." Sarah was trembling and taking short, shallow breaths. The insistent rapping continued at the door.

"Clem, I can't breathe! I ca- I can't breathe!" Clementine pointed her toward the stairs and gave her a little push before turning to face the stranger at the door.


	13. Chapter 13

Clementine approached the front door tentatively, reaching out to lock it, when it opened, revealing a very tall man with a mustache and a large, brown coat. He smiled at Clementine and greeted her in a low, gravelly voice. "Hello there, miss." His smile curled politely around his lips. but his eyes peered out at her menacingly.

Clementine stared him down. "Get out. I have a gun," she told him.

"I'd be surprised if you didn't," he chuckled. "My family and I are set up a ways downriver. I'm kinda surprised we haven't run into each other yet. What's your name?"

Clementine noticed a handgun holstered in his belt. She narrowed her eyes. "What's yours?" she asked him pointedly.

He laughed again. "My name is George, honey." He held out his hand to Clementine, but she glared at him until he dropped it again. "Pleasure to meet you," he smiled. "Mind if I come in for a bit?" He pushed open the door and shoved past Clementine on the way into the cabin.

"Actually, I do mind," Clementine told him, stepping in his path, but he merely ignored her and walked around.

"This is an awful nice place you got here," he commented. "Is there anyone else around? You don't usually see cabins this big out here." Clementine glowered at him, refusing to answer. "Well, I'll cut to the chase," he said, finally. "I'm out looking for my people. Seven of them, to be exact. They've been gone a long while and I'm worried they might've gotten lost. Maybe you've seen 'em. Couple of farm boys and an old man. Spanish guy and his daughter. Quiet girl, 'bout as tall as you. Big black guy, this big. And a pretty little pregnant lady."

Clementine crossed her arms and continued to stare. She wasn't going to fall into this trap. His words were friendly enough, but something about the way he stood over her made her suspicious. He turned around and opened the door to the kitchen, peering into it searchingly. Clementine followed him in and watched him check the room._ For people, I guess._

"Lotta plates for one person," he commented as he passed the sink. "Looks like a tornado ran through here."

"I hate doing dishes," she answered shortly.

"You and me both, honey," he chuckled. Clementine's gaze fell on a large knife on the counter just to the left of the man. "Just passing through or you been here a while?" he asked her, still smiling. "Listen, I hope you're not one of those nuts headed up north, lookin' for Shangri-La. I'm not sure why you'd go anywhere after findin' this place." He caught her glancing at the knife and quickly grabbed it. She flinched and her heart stopped for a moment as he stood over here with it, but his face relaxed into a smile. "Where does this go, honey?" he asked. She was too shocked to answer, so he picked a drawer and dropped it inside.

Walking back out into the hallway, he again attempted to make conversation. "Well, this is a real nice place. Kinda cozy." He stepped into the living room, noticing a flannel shirt lying on the couch. "I knew a guy that always wore shirts like this. Doctor. Real smug sonuvabitch. But a smart man." Glancing down at the chess board on the coffee table, he shook his head. "Well, well, well. White's in trouble." Sarah crept up the stairs behind him. _Why didn't she go when we were in the kitchen?_ "Three moves away from checkmate."

The stairs creaked above their heads. The man turned to Clementine immediately, his face suddenly dark. "What was that?" he asked.

Clementine crossed her arms and shrugged. The man looked up the stairs just as Sarah closed the door of her bedroom behind her. He turned to Clementine, suspicion in his eyes. "I thought you said nobody was here," he told her, his voice low and dangerous. He drew his weapon and walked up the stairs to investigate. Clementine followed him, heart pounding.

Reaching the top, he pushed open Sarah's door and aimed his weapon, expecting assailants. When nobody jumped out at him, he looked around the room, eyes narrowed. Clementine spotted Sarah curled up underneath the bed.

Clementine folded her arms again. "Told you nobody was here," she said, trying to appear more irritated than terrified.

The man lowered his weapon. "Seems that way, doesn't it," he murmured. "Didn't mean to be rude." His demeanor returned to unsettlingly polite. "Couldn't just leave you here with a good conscience if someone was pokin' around, right?" he smiled.

"Sure," Clementine said skeptically, raising one eyebrow. She turned to leave the room. Just as the man was about to follow behind her, he paused and bent to pick something up off the floor. He smiled at Clementine, a smile that shook her at her core. He lifted the picture she'd taken of Sarah. "Who's this?"

Clementine took the photo and stared at it for a moment, tilting her head. "Never seen her before," she shrugged. She had to hold the photo with both her hands to keep it from trembling in her fingers.

She stared at the man for a long moment. "You have no idea who these people are, do you?" he asked her.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Clementine denied cooly.

"Let me ask you this," the man continued. "When you met 'em, how much did they trust you?"

Clementine looked up at him impatiently. "What's your point?" she asked.

"If people don't trust you, how can you trust them?" he asked her calmly. He gave one final glance around the room. "Well, I think I've troubled you long enough. I can let myself out." Clementine watched him walk down the hallway from the upstairs balcony. He gave her one final smile before stepping outside. "You have a real good day now."


	14. Chapter 14

Clementine turned back into the bedroom as Sarah climbed out from under the bed. "Where is he?" Sarah asked, frightened.

"He's gone," Clementine reassured her, trying not to show how shaken she really was.

Sarah didn't seem convinced. "What if he comes back?" Clementine looked away. She didn't have an answer. "Come on, let's find something to do."

Clementine and Sarah settled on the couch with cards, playing war. Sarah soon became absorbed in the game, but Clementine kept shifting uneasily and glancing out the windows. After a few hours, she was fed up. "We need to find the others," she burst out.

"I can't go outside," Sarah protested, throwing down her cards.

Clementine walked toward the kitchen, trying to find a weapon of some kind. As she opened the kitchen door, she saw Luke come in through the back door with Carlos, Rebecca, and Alvin. Luke burst into a relieved smile when he saw her. "Clementine!" he called. Sarah ran into her father's arms.

"Listen, Clementine, you were with Nick, right?" Luke asked. "We gotta go find him."

Sarah looked down at the floor and fidgeted when she let go of her father. "A man was here," she blurted out. The others looked at her in disbelief.

"What?" Carlos asked, focusing his now-furious eyes on Clementine.

"What did she say?" Rebecca demanded.

"Someone came to the cabin," Sarah continued, eyes trained on the floor. "Clementine talked to him."

Rebecca turned on Clementine angrily. "And you just opened the door for him?" she asked incredulously.

"Calm down, Rebecca," Luke said with a tired voice. This only made Rebecca angrier.

"Calm down? I am calm! You calm down!" She was yelling now.

Clementine pursed her lips. "Come on. He came in before I could lock the door. What could I do? The guy was at least 6' 3"."

Carlos was fuming. "You told me you'd protect Sarah," he reminded Clementine, his eyes dangerous. Clementine stepped back involuntarily. "Did he say his name? Did he say what his name was?"

"He said his name was George. I think it was a fake name, though," Clementine answered.

"Look, Clem, just tell us what he looked like," Carlos said in a strained voice. His eyes still glinted with anger. _Or maybe it's more like fear._

"He had a moustache and a large brown coat," she told them. "Who was he? He seemed to know you guys. Mentioned you in particular." She looked at Carlos. She was beginning to fear that it was dangerous to be associated with these people, and not only because they were dysfunctional.

"You're not gonna hurt anyone, are you?" Sarah asked her father fearfully.

"Of course he won't, Sarah, all right?" Luke cut in. "Your dad's the nicest man I know, which is why he's not gonna do anything crazy, or… not nice. Right?" He looked at Carlos pointedly.

Carlos put his arm on Sarah's shoulder. "You know these are bad people, sweetie. They will do or say anything to hurt us."

Luke looked at Clementine. "What do you think? Did it seem like he'd be coming back?" He was calmer than the rest, but Clementine read the same fear in his eyes.

Sarah broke in again. "He saw a picture of me." She held the picture Clementine had taken.

Carlos whirled on her, nearly yelling. "A picture? What were you doing taking pictures?" Sarah shrank back.

"Carlos!" Luke rebuked.

"What?" he snapped back.

"You need to calm down, all right? You're scaring your daughter."

"I took the picture. It was my fault," Clementine spoke up. Carlos focused his glinting eyes on Clementine. Noticing Luke edging between them, he sighed and shook his head. When he spoke again, his voice was lower.

"He was scouting. We got lucky. He wasn't expecting to find us. Clementine must've surprised him. If she hadn't been there…" He put his hand back on his daughter's shoulder. His voice was regaining its distant calmness. "Well, he was too smart to stick around. But he'll be back with the rest. We don't have much time."

"He's right," Luke agreed, nodding. "Everyone pack up. We're movin' out."

Alvin stomped out of the kitchen with Rebecca not far behind. "Alvin, wait," she begged.

Carlos crouched down to talk to Sarah. "We have to leave now, sweetie, before he comes back with more bad guys. But it's gonna be ok. Let's just go get your things."

"Why did you leave his camp?" Clementine asked him.

Carlos looked at her with a heavy weight behind his eyes. "Because we had to. Clem, I don't know what he told you, but William Carver is a dangerous man. He is the leader of a camp not far from here, and he is very smart. We were lucky to escape. Look, I'm sorry to involve you, but now that he's seen you, you'll be safer with us. We have to leave." He turned and left the kitchen with Sarah.

Clementine found herself alone in the kitchen with Luke. "Look, we gotta find Nick on our way outta here. You know where he was, right?"

"Yeah," Clementine answered. She had so many questions. She felt like she was being whisked away without really knowing what she was in for. However, before she could ask Luke anything, he turned away from her.

"Alright. Grab your stuff. Let's hit the road."


	15. Chapter 15

Within 10 minutes, they were packed up and walking down the path toward the old moonshine shed.

"So you said it was right up here?" Luke asked.

"Yeah, I'll know it when I see it," Clementine said, her brow furrowed. Soon, she turned onto a side trail. Luke followed her closely. The shed came into view, surrounded by five or six walkers. "There. That's where we were," she told Luke.

Luke pulled out his machete and hacked at the few stragglers by the doors. Nodding to Clementine, she ran up by him and stood by the doors. "Nick!" he called out. There was no reply. Clementine and Luke shared a worried glance. "Get the door," he motioned to Clementine. She cracked it open and peered inside, eyes widening when she saw Nick. He was lying in a crumpled heap on the floor, his head obscured behind a crate. Luke followed behind, shaking his head when he saw Nick. "Jesus," he breathed.

Nick sat up, bleary eyed. "Hey man, you got any aspirin?" He gave Luke a weak half-smile.

"Nick, you asshole," Luke chuckled and shook his head. He walked over to Nick and picked him up off the floor. Nick gave him that sad, empty stare, and Luke wrapped one arm around him.

Nick leaned into his friend. "Pete's dead," he choked out.

"I know, man, I do," Luke murmured. "But we gotta get movin', okay? Carver's gang showed up. Can you make it?"

Nick shook himself and nodded. "Yeah, yeah."

"Good," Luke nodded. "Let's go."

Carlos led them through the woods, Sarah a half step behind. Luke and Clem walked together after them in front of Nick. Rebecca and Alvin brought up the rear. They walked along in silence for about an hour. Clementine daydreamed a bit as she walked along next to Luke.

Nick's voice brought Clementine back to earth. "Hey, Clem?" he asked. "I just wanted to say… thanks for not giving up on me."

She glanced at him over her shoulder. He was smiling a little, but sadness was still etched into his face. She looked away quickly. "Don't worry about it," she replied shortly. She hadn't quite processed yet what happened in the shed, and she was avoiding thinking about it. Nick fell behind Rebecca and Alvin and stumbled along slowly after them, his eyes on the ground. He's probably still hung over.

Luke looked back at Nick, his face creased with concern. "What happened back there in that cellar?" he asked Clementine. "He do somethin' stupid?"

"He wanted to die," Clementine answered quietly.

"Yeah, wouldn't be the first time that happened," Luke said, looking away. "I'm worried about that kid. Keep an eye on him for me, would you?" He turned back at Clementine, a half-smile on his lips. "You… sure you still wanna come with us? Look, I know we got off to a rough start, and I can't make any promises it won't get rougher. But we all know you now. And we may not be perfect, but we look out for each other." He smiled down at her.

She shrugged noncommittally. "I'll stick around for now, I guess." Truth be told, she wasn't confident in her ability to survive on her own. It seemed like staying with the group was the best way to find Christa, but their secrets weighed heavily on her mind. She didn't owe them anything until they told her exactly what was going on.

"Well, we're glad to have you," Luke smiled.

"Not everyone is..." Clementine looked back at Rebecca.

"They'll get there," Luke told her. He took a map out of his pack and pointed out their path. "I figure we got about four or five days to reach those mountains. Now, if they're trackin' us, we should be able to lose 'em up there."

"Five days?" Rebecca asked incredulously. Her voice wavered.

"It's gonna be ok, Bec," Alvin reassured her.

"We have to keep moving now," Carlos's deep voice rumbled from the front. "It's our only choice."

That night, they stopped in a small clearing next to a stream in the woods. Rebecca collapsed against a tree, groaning. Alvin rolled up a blanket and put it behind her back, holding her hand. Luke began clearing a space in the middle and piling dead wood. Carlos turned on him, angry.

"Do you want to get us all killed?" His eyes flashed at Luke.

"Well, how else do you propose to cook all this rice?" Luke asked him defensively.

"The smoke from that fire will lead them straight to us," Carlos raised his voice.

"Hey, hey," Alvin broke in. "Look, we're all hungry and tired. We need to eat." He looked pleadingly at Carlos. "Bec needs to eat."

"As long as it's completely out by morning, it's not a big deal, right? It's honestly too dark to see the smoke. If they're far enough away, they won't see the light or smell it, either," Clementine pointed out. She was too hungry to let this man take away her dinner.

Carlos glared at them all with a stony expression before turning and grabbing blankets for him and Sarah. The rest of the group let out a breath, and Clementine helped Luke build the fire. Sarah watched, peppering them with questions, while Nick sat slumped against a tree, his cap over his face.

"You have the rice, right? Who has the pot?" Clementine whispered to Luke.

He glanced over his shoulder. "Carlos," he murmured back. "I should probably ask him for it."

"No, I'll do it," Clementine answered. "He's already mad enough at you." She approached Carlos cautiously. "Hey, can we use the pot?" She forced herself to make eye contact.

"Do what you must," Carlos said, staring back at her with his face set. He made no move to get it for her, so she hesitated for a moment before unzipping his pack and pulling the heavy pot out. _This thing must be 10 lbs,_ she thought. _Carlos must be exhausted. Of course, Luke's carrying the same weight in rice, and he's not sitting there pouting._ She smiled to herself as she filled the pot and brought it to Luke.

The group ate hungrily, tension still in the air. One by one, they laid down on their blankets and started snoring. "I'll take first watch," Clementine told Luke. "You get some sleep." He smiled at her gratefully before lying back and closing his eyes.

Clementine sat hugging her knees against her chest, watching the flames die down under the starlight.


	16. Chapter 16

AN: Didn't feel like filling every second of the entire journey, so I wrote a couple vignettes instead. I don't care if this format is sloppy writing; SUE ME.

The next day, they packed up and started moving in the early morning light. Clementine spread around the ashes from the fire to hide their trail. They learned not to speak much while they walked, as the noise attracted walkers. Whenever a stray walker stumbled on the group, Luke dispatched it with a swift swipe of his machete.

* * *

The Second Night

Sitting between Sarah and Luke next to the fire as Alvin passed out rice, Clementine studied the woods around her. She smiled to herself. "Doesn't it remind you of The Blair Witch Project, a little?" she asked nobody in particular. "The trees are all dark and whispery. All we need are some random piles of rocks sitting around looking creepy."

Luke grinned. "I remember that movie," he said. "Scared the shit outta me."

"Seriously?" Clementine laughed. "It was the cheesiest horror movie I ever saw."

"What's it about?" Sarah piped up curiously. "I never heard of it."

"Yeah, it was a little before your time, I think," Clementine said to her. She leaned toward the campfire, letting the flames illuminate her face. "It's about three student filmmakers who went out to the woods to film because legend said the ghost of an old woman lived there. But they got horribly lost. Soon, they began to find stick figures and rock piles around the woods." Sarah giggled. "Don't laugh, it's supposed to be creepy!" Clementine leaned back and smiled.

"No, no, keep going! I wanna know what happens," Sarah begged, still giggling.

"Nah, that's pretty much it," Clementine laughed. "It was a lame movie. I think they eventually found the old woman's house, but I don't remember what happened." She noticed that the whole group was listening to her story. Even Nick had a small smile.

"One of them disappeared, so they went to the house lookin' for him," Luke told Sarah. "When they got in the house, one of 'em drops the camera and the movie ends." He laughed a little. "I guess it was pretty lame, huh."

"No, that sounds scary!" Sarah exclaimed.

"They why are you still laughing?" Clementine asked her, grinning. Sarah tried to answer, but yawned instead. "We should all probably go to sleep," Clementine said. "I'll take first watch again." She looked over the group as they curled up in their blankets and dropped off into sleep.

* * *

The Third Night

The clearing Carlos picked was a bit of a walk from the nearest stream, so Clementine, Rebecca, and Sarah went to use the bathroom and refill the canteens and rice pot. Clementine stood with Rebecca, holding the pot, while Sarah filled up the canteens. Clementine felt Rebecca's eyes on her.

"Hey, Clem," Rebecca started. "Sorry if I been givin' you shit. I'm just a little on edge, with the baby and all." Clementine just nodded. Rebecca's voice gained a note of regret. "If It's not you I'm yellin' at lately, it's Alvin. And then I'm in real trouble. I know you're doin' your best." She smiled at Clementine. "You know, none of us would make it on our own. Sometimes it's hard knowin' just how dependent I am on everyone. I'm not used to that. I'm not comfortable with that." She looked away. "I'm supposed to be a mom soon. Guess I need to work on my patience."

Clementine looked sideways up at Rebecca. She seemed genuinely vulnerable right now. This must be hard for her.

"Alvin and I still don't know what to call her," Rebecca continued. "Or him, if that man gets his wish, God help me. Any ideas?"

Clementine's stomach twisted uncomfortably. This conversation was veering dangerously close to the ones Omid and Christa used to have. "I don't know," she mumbled. Rebecca looked at her sadly for a moment before Sarah came back with the water. "What do you think, Sarah?" Clementine redirected. "What names do you like?"

Sarah managed to bounce around, despite being weighed down by the canteens. "I have so many ideas! If it's a girl you should name her Amy or Valentine or Diana. If it's a boy, name him Alex or Daniel!"

Clementine listened to them chatter on about baby names the entire way back.

* * *

The Fourth Night

Clementine and Luke sat next to each other next to the fire in silence. Gentle snores came from the others. Luke had offered to take the first watch for her, but Clementine was staying up despite her exhaustion from the long day of travelling. She had some questions.

"Luke?" she asked tentatively.

"Yeah?" he looked at her expectantly. His face was worn and tired. It only looked at this when they were alone together at night. The firelight had a way of melting Luke's usual layer of optimism, revealing the cracks that lay just beneath the surface.

"Back in the shed, Nick said something that bothered me," she told him. She lowered her voice, even though everyone else was asleep. "He told me he shot his own mother." She looked up at Luke for an explanation.

His face clouded over. "It was about a month before you came. We'd been stayin' at the cabin for a few weeks. Found this girl who'd been bit. We tried to take care of her. Thought we could control it… But we couldn't." He paused and sighed. "And then she turned and his mom was standin' right there and she got attacked. There was nothing we could do about it." He looked down. "Nick blames himself, but it was as much my fault as his. I guess I thought we could help her."

Clementine stared at him. Their suspicion toward her suddenly made sense. She felt a twinge of guilt for brushing off Rebecca when she tried to apologize.

Luke spoke up again. "I don't think you ever told me what happened to you… before." He looked at her searchingly. "You don't have to talk about it if you don't wanna."

"No, it's fine. What do you wanna know?" Clementine asked.

"I guess I'm curious why you were by yourself. You told us you got lost from your group, but that wasn't true, was it?"

"No, it wasn't," Clementine sighed. "I was with a woman named Christa. We were attacked by bandits. I'm still not sure what happened to her."

"I'm sorry," Luke said, his face sympathetic. "What about before that? Like… where were you when it started?"

Clementine hugged her knees to her chest. "My parents had gone on a trip to Savannah," she answered. "They left me at home on my own. I wouldn't have lasted two weeks if it hadn't been for Lee." Her voice softened. "He taught me how to defend myself. How to survive. We had a group at one point, but it didn't work out. I ran away, thinking I was better off on my own, and he died trying to find me." Her voice choked up and she couldn't continue. Luke waited patiently until she was ready to go on. "So Christa, Omid, and I went off on our own. Tried to head north. But we lost Omid and then Christa lost her baby and things kinda went to shit," she finished.

"I'm sorry, Clem. Truly," Luke said quietly. They stared into the flames for a few minutes.

"Aren't you gonna tell me about what happened to you?" Clementine asked. She looked at his face, illuminated by the dying flames.

"I guess it's the same as everyone else's story," he said. "I lost my parents and my little brother in the first few days. Met up with Nick, his mom, and Pete. We had a group, but it fell apart after a while and we were on our own again. Then, we were invited to join this new community. Seemed like a pretty good deal at the time." He paused for a long moment before going on. "We eventually left with Rebecca, Alvin, Carlos, and Sarah."

"So you've been with Nick since the beginning, huh?" Clementine commented.

"Yeah, we've known each other goin' on 20 years now," he said with a lopsided smile. "I remember we used to shoot BB guns pellets against Pete's wall. If you shot 'em at just the right angle, they'd make this mini explosion. Pete used to get so mad." He sighed. "I miss that, you know?" They went back to staring at the fire.

Clementine finally spoke up. "I think I'm gonna turn in," she said. She curled up in her blanket, facing Luke. She looked up at him before closing her eyes. "Thank you."


	17. Chapter 17

AN: Thank you for reviewing, I really do appreciate it! Sometimes I feel like these chapters are going off into the void, so it's nice to know someone's enjoying them :3 School starts again tomorrow and I'm not sure how much time I'll have for writing, but I have at least another week's worth of posts lined up. Hopefully I'll still be able to update every day during school.

In the early afternoon of the fifth day of walking, the group stopped to rest at the edge of the woods next to a cliff. The hill overlooked a ravine, and a mountain rose up just beyond. Clementine crawled onto a rock by the edge and trained her binoculars on the mountain. Behind her, the group sat down for a brief rest.

"See anything?" Luke called to her, holding his map in front of him. Clementine narrowed her eyes and examined the mountain.

"There's a building up there," she told them. "Looks pretty big. I think there's a ski lift going down the mountain in front of it."

Luke pointed at the map. "Must be that ski resort." His voice sounded hopeful. "It could be a good place to spend the night."

Clementine lowered her binoculars for a moment. "I've… never been skiing," she said thoughtfully. It didn't quite make her feel sad, but she felt a twinge inside nonetheless.

"Bec and I went once," Alvin smiled.

Rebecca chuckled. "It wasn't pretty." She smiled back at Alvin, caught up in a moment of reminiscence.

Clementine followed the ski lift down the mountain, seeing a small shack on the other side of the ravine. "There's a little house by the bridge on the other side," she said.

"How big is it?" Carlos asked.

"Not big enough," Clementine answered.

"Does the bridge look passable?" Luke queried.

"Yeah, I think so." Clementine put away her binoculars and scrambled down. "We should head up."

Carlos nodded, his arms folded in front of him. "Let's go."

Luke put up his hand. "Hold on now," he cautioned. "We can't all go sprintin' across that thing, okay? If we get spotted out there, we're gonna be trapped."

Clementine nodded her assent. "We'd be easy to spot out there. It's pretty exposed."

"Going around that lake will take too long," Carlos argued, jabbing his finger at Luke.

"Right, but… Look, we've got no idea who's out there," Luke pointed out calmly. "I'm gonna sneak across and make sure it's clear before we bring the whole group over."

Carlos raised an eyebrow. "You think splitting up the group is a good idea?"

"I never said it was a good idea," Luke shrugged. "But it's better than riskin' everyone at once."

"What's your plan?" Alvin asked.

"Clem and I can scoot across low and slow and make sure nobody's waitin' for us on the other side," Luke answered.

"We'll have a tough time coverin' you from back here," Alvin pointed out.

Luke shook his head. "We'll just turn back if it gets hairy."

Carlos crossed his arms again, furrowing his eyebrows at Clementine. He looked back at Luke. "Are you sure? She's just…"

"She's what?" Luke cut in, mirroring Carlos's pose defensively. "If she was gonna do anything, she'd've done it by now." They stared each other down for a moment before Carlos nodded.

"Very well," he said.

"It's gonna be fine, okay? We'll signal you guys in ten minutes. Just watch for a light at the far side." They turned to leave, but Nick stood up suddenly.

"I can go too," he offered.

Luke looked sorry, but he shook his head firmly. "You stay with the group."

"I'm fine, Luke." Nick's voice had a pleading note.

"I don't like this," Carlos grumbled.

Luke threw up his arms as he strode off with Clementine. "Yeah, well, when's the last time you liked anything, Carlos?" he asked with exasperation. "Let's go, Clem."

They walked in the woods for about ten minutes in silence. The stress left little fractures on the group, and they made Clementine uneasy. She thought back to Christa's distrust of outsiders. She had always said that the living were more dangerous than the dead. _Maybe there was something to that…_

Luke interrupted her thoughts. "Hey, uh, sorry about that. I could just really use your eyes, and right now I don't trust Nick to tie his own shoes." He sighed. "They're just still on edge over the Carver thing."

Clementine jumped at the opportunity to glean some information off Luke. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. "It's been five days. Why would Carver still be following us?" She faked nonchalance, trying to catch Luke off his guard.

Luke was quiet for a moment. He turned to her suddenly with a question. "What's the most important thing in this world?" Clementine was silent, disappointed that her ruse didn't work. "What does everyone want? Even the gangs. What do you think they're all after?" he pressed. Clementine had to play along.

She sighed and considered. "Gangs, huh? Hmm. I guess… a sense of belonging?"

"Yeah, family," he nodded. "It's a tough world out there without people you can trust." He looked down at the ground. He seemed to be considering his next words carefully. Finally he shook his head and turned back to Clementine. "Anyways, you can ask Rebecca, okay? I'm not gonna get in the middle of it. We've all… made mistakes."

Clementine pursed her lips, irritated at his caginess. "Seems like we're already in the middle of it," she mumbled under her breath. Still, she filed away what he said in the back of her mind, adding it to the rest of her information on the group's past.

The pair reached the edge of the woods, the entrance to the bridge visible in the clearing. Two walkers stood between them and the bridge, facing away from them. Luke and Clementine crouched behind some rocks.

"I'll take the big one. You got shorty," Luke murmured into Clementine's ear. She nodded and they slowly advanced behind the walkers. Pulling out her hammer, Clementine drew back her arm and brought it down on the walker's skull, thoroughly lodging it. She heard the wet thump of Luke's machete in the head of the other walker. Luke sheathed his weapon and walked up behind her as she yanked the hammer with her body weight.

"Go ahead. Give it a good pull, it should come free," he told her. Something about his tone rubbed Clementine the wrong way, and she scowled up at him.

"I know. I've done this before. In a shed, remember?" Her voice was like ice. Guilt quickly shadowed his face, and he looked down. She finally yanked the hammer free.

Luke gave her an apologetic look and clapped her on the shoulder. "Nice work."

Clementine rubbed her shoulder and looked up at him, still glaring, but his slightly anxious smile made her face soften. He grinned triumphantly and turned toward the bridge. _He's really hard to stay mad at,_ Clementine thought as she followed him.

Dusk was just beginning to fall as they stepped onto the bridge. The steel was bathed in an orange glow, and the mountains in the distance were dark. Luke and Clementine carefully walked over the rail ties in the middle.

Suddenly, a walker gurgled at them from about 20 feet ahead. Another turned right behind it and began to shamble toward them. Fearful, Clementine turned back, but a third was making its way onto the bridge behind him.

"Shit," Luke mumbled. They drew their weapons, Luke advancing on the walker behind him, while Clementine took the ones in front. Just as she raised her hammer to strike, she heard a crashing behind her. Whirling around, Clementine barely saw Luke and the walker fall through the rail ties. She ran to the hole and knelt beside it, calling his name.

"Clem! I'm okay," Luke called up at her. He was situated precariously on two beams, his back resting on one and his feet on another. The walker had fallen, too, and was reaching for him hungrily from a platform. Luke squirmed away from its grasp. "I'm stuck!" Clementine reached won as far as she could, but Luke's eyes widened. "Behind you!"

Jumping up, Clementine gripped her hammer and swung at the leg of the walker beside her. Its knee buckled, giving Clementine easy access to its head, and she swung easily. However, when Clementine leaned back to pull the hammer out of its skull, it gave so suddenly that she nearly threw herself off the bridge. Adrenaline pumping through her, she recovered barely in time to see the walker lunge at her. She sidestepped it, watching it plunge into the water behind her. Unfortunately, her hammer slid out of her sweaty palms, and it followed the walker into the water.

Glancing around her, Clementine saw Luke's machete glint on the ground. Darting toward it, she picked it up and speared the last walker's head, making it fall lifeless to the ground.

She grabbed a pole and raced back to Luke. His foot had slipped precariously, and he was now barely balanced on the supports. Taking the pole gratefully, he lay it against the supports and used it to step out of the hole. Clementine breathed a sigh of relief as soon as he was standing safely on the bridge with her.

He took a moment to catch his breath, his hands on his knees. Clementine reached toward him hesitantly, still a little shaky herself. However, he stood before she could put her hand on his shoulder. Still breathing heavily, he nodded at her. "Thanks, Clem." They looked toward the other side. "Let's keep goin'."


	18. Chapter 18

When they were about halfway across, Luke put his arm out, signaling Clementine to stop. He stepped halfway in front of her protectively. "You see him?" he asked in a low voice.

Squinting, Clementine could just make out the form of a man approaching them from the other side. "Yeah," she answered. She could see the outline of a rifle in his hands.

"Just play it cool," Luke said, his face intense. "And you do the talkin'."

Clementine looked up at him, surprised. "Why?"

"'Cause I don't wanna get in a fight," Luke answered. "He'd shoot me faster than he'd shoot a girl like you."

"A girl like me?" Clementine asked quizzically.

"You know, all tiny and unassumin'," he said impatiently.

The man stopped about 30 feet away. "Who are you?" he called out. He held his gun at the ready.

"I'm Clementine, and this is Luke," Clementine called back, stepping out from behind Luke.

The man walked tentatively forward about 10 feet. "Huh. You don't look like assholes. Are you assholes? No offense or anything, but you know how it is out here." The man was still too far away for Clementine to make out his face, but his voice had no trace of aggression so far.

"We're just people," Clementine answered, as calmly as she could.

"Fair enough," the man said, stepping close enough to talk without yelling. He was a thin Asian man, wearing a hoodie and baggy jeans. "You folks headed north like everyone else?"

"Everyone else?" Luke repeated, his face still suspicious.

"I see at least one group a day move through here," the man answered. "You all look the same. It's like a great migration of the dazed and confused." He looked at Luke with a weary expression.

"Have you seen someone named Christa?" Clementine asked, her breath catching in her throat.

"Christa? Maybe," the man shrugged.

Clementine's heart leaped. "Really?" she gasped.

The man shook his head. "Nah, I mean, a lot of people come through here. I don't know." Clementine swallowed her disappointment as the man continued. "I gotta say, you two look like shit. If you need food, I've got some canned stuff in that station back there."

Clementine crossed her arms, eyeing him suspiciously. "Oh yeah? That's awfully generous. What's the catch?"

The man didn't seem offended at Clementine's skepticism. "No catch. I've got plenty," he smiled.

Clementine kept one eyebrow raised, but Luke smiled back hesitantly. "Huh. Well, thank you."

"Hey, no problem," the man nodded. "Nice running into friendly faces out here. Like I said, I've got food and supplies back in the station. And if… you…." His eyes went wide and his sentence trailed off as he looked at something behind them. "What the fuck, man?" he asked, suddenly fearful.

Clementine looked over her shoulder, seeing Nick come running behind them with a gun.

"What the hell is he doing?" Luke asked incredulously.

Nick cocked the rifle and aimed it at the stranger, causing the man to immediately aim back. Clementine's head spun; it was all happening so fast.

Luke spoke quickly, trying to calm the situation. "No, no, no, no, listen! He's with us!" He turned back to Nick, waving his arms. "Nick! No! Put it down!" he yelled at his friend.

Clementine turned, too. "Stop!" she yelled, her face fearful. Suddenly, a gunshot rang out, and Luke grabbed her shoulder, roughly pulling her to the ground and shielding her with his body. Clementine's forehead was pressed against the cool metal of the bridge and her eyes were squeezed shut. She could feel Luke's weight on her back. They stayed like that for a moment, Clementine trembling slightly with Luke's ragged breathing in her ear.

When no more gunshots followed, the pressure of Luke's hand relaxed and Clementine looked up to see the stranger clutching his neck, gurgling incoherently. Blood stained the front of his hoodie and covered his face. He stumbled to the side, weakly lifting the rifle to shoot, but instead tumbled off the side of the bridge. Luke jumped up and ran to him. However, he was too late, and he could only watch in horror as the stranger splashed into the water below.

Luke stormed toward Nick, furious. Nick was walking toward them, confusion on his face. "Did I hit him? Where is he?" he asked.

"I told you not to shoot," Luke said, his face contorted in anger.

Nick's face registered only confusion. "What? Who was that guy?"

"Why didn't you wait for a signal?" Luke demanded, raising his voice.

"He pointed a gun at me!" Nick said defensively.

"Dammit, Nick, I told you not to shoot!"

"How was I supposed to hear you? You gave me a clear shot!"

"That shot rang out for miles!" Luke snapped back. Clementine stood away from the two, processing what had just happened. She was still a bit dazed. Luke waved to the others. "We gotta get off this bridge. Let's go."


	19. Chapter 19

Clementine crossed the bridge with the group, finding herself in a clearing on the other side. She was still reeling from the encounter on the bridge, but the walk gave her the chance to regain her composure.

When they reached the shack, Rebecca sank down on a log, holding her back. "Who the fuck was that back there?" she panted.

"I don't know," Luke said, his voice strained.

"It looked like he had a gun on you," Alvin told him.

"That asshole drew on me! He was about to shoot," Nick said. He sounded like he was trying to convince himself as much as Luke.

"Really? Because it didn't look like that to me," Luke shot back. They moved closer to each other, raising their voices.

"Fuck off, Luke, you've been on my case all week!"

"And why do you think that is, Nick?"

"Because you're an asshole?!"

"Listen, I know Pete was close to you, but –"

"Don't you fucking talk about him!"

Clementine swiftly moved between them before the argument came to blows. "You two need to lower your voices right now," she said. Her voice was low and cool, but her amber eyes nearly glowed with anger. They stopped, eyes wide in surprise. She turned to Nick. "I don't know what you think you saw, but you shot that man in cold blood. He was trying to help us. He offered us food." His face broke under the intensity of her gaze. He stepped back and shifted uncomfortably, eyes on the ground.

"Do you think he was with Carver?" Carlos asked Luke anxiously.

"I don't know!" Luke answered, nearly yelling. He took a deep breath. "I… No. I don't think so. But he fell over."

"He fell off the damn bridge?" Alvin asked, incredulous.

"We have to keep moving," Carlos reminded them, his voice authoritative.

"I can't," Rebecca said weakly, one hand on her back. "I need a minute."

"Fine," Carlos agreed. He looked at Nick, who was still visibly upset. _Maybe I was too hard on him…_

"Luke, can I… talk to you alone?" Carlos asked, motioning toward the edge of the clearing. They walked off a distance together while Alvin and Sarah sat down next to Rebecca. Nick sat down by the shack by himself, looking shaken.

"Hey Clem," Alvin asked. "You got anything to eat? Bec's dyin' here."

"Alvin, I told you, I'm fine," Rebecca protested weakly.

"Sorry, I'm out," Clementine shrugged, her face sympathetic. She frowned. "That man said he had food in the station. I'll go check it out." She walked to the station, pausing in front of Nick. He glared up at her.

"Thanks a lot," he muttered, giving her a dark look. He looked over at Carlos and Luke, who were talking intently. "I'm sure they're talking about me over there." He adopted a serious expression and a Spanish accent. "'Luke, he is becoming a danger to the group.'" He turned back to her, his face pained. "Did I… really draw first? I swear it looked like he was holdin' you guys up."

Clementine shook her head, her face still cold. "He was just a guy. He wasn't gonna hurt anyone."

Nick turned away. "What a mess," he mumbled. "Maybe I am losing it. I don't know anymore." His eyes glazed over, an expression Clementine recognized. She frowned and looked away. She wasn't in the mood to get involved this time.

He shook himself slightly and stood up. "I'm gonna go talk to them," he said, walking over purposefully. Clementine watched him go before peering into the windows of the shack. Seeing nothing alarming, she opened the door and crept inside.

The interior was sparse and dirty, with a thin cot in one corner and empty cans piled in another. Clementine noticed a large chest below a window, but the lid refused to budge. A large hunting knife lay on a shelf against the wall. Picking it up, she noticed the letters M and W engraved on the sheath. _Initials, perhaps?_

Giving it an experimental swipe, she nodded to herself and carried it over to the chest. The thin, strong metal pried the lock easily, and the lid snapped open. The chest was mostly empty, with a few books and two cans of peaches inside.

Alvin walked in as Clementine picked up a can. "Man, and I thought we had it bad," he said, his eyebrows raised. "Look at this dump." He walked over to her, looking at the can in her hand. "Guess he did have food. Man, fuck Nick." His furrowed brow relaxed after a moment and his voice softened. "Nick's lost a lot of his people, that's for sure. But that don't give him any excuse to start shootin' up strangers. It's a shame. Nick was a good guy. He's still a good guy. He's just losin' it." Alvin shook his head. His gaze fell on the chest, and he stooped and picked up the other can of peaches. He looked at Clementine with a hopeful expression. "Hey, Clem, there's not a lot of food here, and Rebecca, well, she's eatin' for two…" His voice trailed off.

Clementine raised one eyebrow. "I'm not gonna lie for you, Alvin," she said quietly.

"Right, right. I'm sorry, Clem. I shouldn't have put you in that position." He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. They turned to leave the shack, but Alvin stopped in surprise, looking out the window. "The hell is that?" he asked, his eyes wide. Coming up behind him, Clementine looked out, too. A small horde of walkers was halfway across the bridge, and coming fast.

Alvin left the cabin quickly. "We gotta problem here," he told the group, his eyes wide.

Luke was walking toward him, the rest of the group in tow. "Yeah, we saw it. Alright everyone, we're headin' up."


	20. Chapter 20

They made their way up the mountainside slowly. Clementine's calves burned and she panted for breath. She could only imagine how Rebecca felt. When they reached the top, Carlos and Luke crouched by the side of the ski lodge.

Rebecca panted up to them. "Well?" she asked, breathing heavily. "What are we waiting for?"

Carlos answered her in a low voice. "We have to be careful."

She put her hands on her hips. "Careful? We've been on the road for five days. My back is done being careful."

Alvin stepped passed Carlos and Luke and examined the boarded-up windows of the lodge. "Doesn't look like anybody's home," he reported. He gave a piece of plywood an experimental tug. "Damn! Nailed down tight." He walked along the wall. "I'll go check around front."

"I'll go with you," came Carlos's low voice. Nick paced the deck anxiously with his rifle. Clementine leaned against the deck's railing, looking down at the dark woods below. Luke walked up behind her.

"Hey, Clem," he said, nudging her shoulder. "Can I see your binoculars? I wanna make sure nobody's followin' behind us."

"Sure," Clementine nodded, fishing around her backpack for the binoculars. "Here."

"Thanks," he said, taking them and studying the valley below. Clementine watched his brow crease in concentration.

"All clear?" she asked hopefully.

"Looks like it," Luke said, grinning at her. "Wanna take a look?"

Clementine took back the binoculars and looked down at the woods. Suddenly, there was a commotion behind her. Unfamiliar voices filtered from around the corner, near the main door of the lodge. Clementine took her eyes away from the binoculars to ask Luke what was happening, but she was surprised to see he was already running around the corner. Following close behind, she realized her group was in a confrontation with some strangers who were obscured from her view. She began pushing through her group.

"Listen, everyone, just stay calm," Luke tried to mediate.

"Who are you?! Are you trying to rob us?" cried a hysterical woman. The voice was lightly accented, perhaps with an Indian or Middle Eastern accent.

"Excuse me, honey, but do I look like a fucking thief?" Rebecca snapped.

"Everyone calm down," said a man.

"Hey man, you calm the fuck down," Alvin shot back.

"Sarah, get behind me," said Carlos protectively.

Clementine made her way to the front of the group, pushing people aside as she went. Her jaw dropped who they were talking to.

A balding man and a petite Indian woman stood between her group and the door, but they were not the ones who drew Clementine's gaze. Between them stood a middle-aged man with a thick beard and a baseball cap, aiming a rifle at Luke. The man locked eyes with Clementine. He slowly lowered the rifle, slackjawed.

"K- Kenny?" Clementine asked incredulously. They stared at each other for a long moment.

"Wait, you know this guy?" came Luke's voice from behind her.

"Clementine?" the man asked softly, looking as shocked as she was. They embraced, Kenny giving Clementine an avuncular pat on the shoulder before separating. He held her at arm's length, looking her over. "These people with you?" he asked her. Clementine nodded, unable to speak. Kenny let go of her shoulders and motioned into the lodge. "We can talk inside," he said.

"Great. I just started dinner," the bald man smiled. The group gave each other uncertain looks.

"Are you sure you don't mind?" Carlos questioned cautiously.

"It's gonna storm soon. Please, come in," the man answered.

Clementine and Kenny smiled at each other all the way into the lodge.

* * *

To Clementine, the lodge was a fairy palace. Its spacious interior was decorated with festive wreathes and garlands, and cheery holiday lights glinted from the banisters. Classical music tinkled softly from a radio somewhere inside. The bald man smiled at her wide eyes.

"Kenny and Sarita have been staying with us for several weeks," he told her. "Used to be a ski lodge, obviously, so we have plenty of food. And believe it or not, we still get power from that wind turbine out front. We tend to keep most of the lights off at night to avoid drawing attention." He walked up the steps and continued talking with his back turned. Kenny looked at Clementine and made a face, making fun of the man's well-intentioned droning. "But after we found this stuff in storage, we couldn't resist making an exception." Clementine struggled to stifle a giggle. The man turned and caught her smiling. "What's funny?"

"Oh, nothin', Walt," Kenny grinned, slapping him on the back. "Walter here is one smart sonuva bitch. Makes a mean can of beans, too."

Walter chuckled. "Well, why don't you two get caught up while I get some dinner started?" The rest of the group began filing into the lodge, their expressions matching Clementine's. "Please, make yourselves at home. You can leave your things over there." He motioned toward a bench next to the entrance.

Rebecca eyed the bench suspiciously. "The hell we will," she scoffed.

"Yeah, I'm holdin' onto my rifle, thanks," Nick said shortly.

Walter's forehead creased in concern. "You're our guests here. There's no need to worry," he said.

"Tell him to put his gun down, then!" Nick said, raising his voice. He motioned toward Kenny.

"Kenny?" Walter said, looking toward him expectantly.

Kenny set his jaw and looked at Clementine. "Can you vouch for these people, Clem?"

She nodded. "They're cool." Kenny still looked uncertain.

Carlos and Sarah walked through the door with the woman from outside. Sarah began to bounce excitedly. "Dad! Look! A Christmas tree!"

"Not now, Sarah," Carlos said in a low voice. Kenny looked at them, conflicted.

"It's it great?" the woman smiled. Her exotic accent gave her voice a musical quality. "We found it all in storage."

"It's amazing," Sarah breathed, her eyes as big as saucers behind her pink glasses.

Reluctantly, Kenny set his rifle down next to the door, leading everyone else to slowly put down their weapons. Clementine set down her backpack with the rest of their things. A weight lifted from the room, and the woman led most of the group off into the lodge. "Good. Now if you'll all follow me, I'll show you where you can sleep."


	21. Chapter 21

Kenny and Clementine sat down together alone in what looked like a common room at the front of the lodge. The fire in the fireplace crackled cheerfully, warmly illuminating the burgundy furniture before it. They settled on the couch, Clementine still basking in their surreal surroundings. They smiled for a long moment before Kenny spoke.

"You sure grew up into a pretty little thing, Clementine," he chuckled. "You know, I half expected to see Lee walk up next to you. You guys were like two peas in a pod." He smiled to himself warmly, but stopped abruptly when he saw Clementine's face fall. He got a pained look. "Oh, shit, I didn't mean to…" he stammered. "It's just hard not to think about it, you know?"

Clementine swallowed the familiar lump in her throat. "He's not here anymore," she said softly.

Kenny nodded, understanding. "Hell… Lee and I had our differences, that's for sure. But… when my son…" He closed his eyes for a moment. "Well, he was there for me." Clementine looked at the fire, trying not to cry.

Kenny waited a moment before continuing. "So, where'd you end up?"

"I found Christa and Omid outside Savannah," she answered, her voice still shaky. "But we lost Omid. So it was just me and Christa for a while, but bandits caught us and now she's gone, too."

Kenny watched her sympathetically. "Sounds like it ain't been easy for you. I'm sorry, darlin'."

"Where were you?" Clementine asked. "Christa told me you were dead."

"Aw hell, all over after Savannah," he smiled sadly. He shook his head. "Things got real hairy back there. I almost thought it was all over. But long story short, I got lucky. Real lucky. Spent a long time alone after that. It, uh…" He stopped for a long moment, his eyes closed. "And then I met Sarita, thank God." He breathed out, relief on his face. "Gosh, it's great to have you back."

Sarita walked up behind Kenny, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. "You two catching up?" she asked, smiling at Kenny.

Kenny smiled back. "Clem, this is my girl, Sarita. Ain't she beautiful?"

Sarita rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "Nice to meet you, Clementine."

"Hey Walt, where's Matthew?" Kenny called over his shoulder. "He still out rootin' around?"

"Of course he is," Walter called back from the kitchen.

The group began to trickle downstairs again from their rooms. Sarita walked toward Sarah and Carlos.

"Carlos, right?" she asked. "Mind if I steal your daughter for a secret mission?" Her eyes twinkled.

Sarah gave her dad a pleading look. Carlos gave a curt nod. "Stay in sight, sweetie."

Luke and Nick walked up behind them. "Can we do anything to help?" Luke asked.

Kenny stood from the couch. "Could use a hand outside. We got a lotta supplies to bring in before that storm hits." He turned to Clementine. "Clem, why don't you help Walt with dinner?"

Clementine nodded and watched Nick and Luke follow Kenny outside. She made her way to the spacious kitchen, where Walter was stirring a large pot of… something. He gave her a welcoming smile when he saw her.

"Hey, Clementine. Settling in well enough?" He was portly, but not quite jolly. He had a comfortable, knowledgeable air.

"Yeah, thanks," Clementine answered.

"Excellent," Walter smiled. "Wanna help me prepare a little dinner?" He motioned to a barstool behind the counter. It seemed to Clementine that there wasn't much to do but stir, but she obliged anyway, figuring he probably only wanted to glean information about her group. She frowned, determined not to give him more information than necessary.

"So how do you know Kenny?" he asked nonchalantly. "He and Sarita have been a huge help. Matthew and I barely knew what to do around here the first week."

"We're… old friends," Clementine said. "I met him after it happened."

Matthew stopped stirring, looking concerned. "When he was with Lee? Yeah, he only told us a little." He resumed stirring, looking contemplative. "Connecting with people is so important. I don't know what I'd do without Matthew." He sprinkled a little salt into the pot.

"What did you do before?" Clementine asked, curious.

"What was my job, you mean?" Walter asked quizzically. "I was a teacher. Taught social studies to middle schoolers. I do miss my students, sometimes." He looked at the food wistfully. Grabbing a spoon, his face brightened again as he gave it a taste. "Hmm. Almost done. Would you do me the honor of tasting the first course, madam?" His eyes twinkled at Clementine.

She peered into the pot skeptically. _Some kind of... brown mush?_ It bubbled thickly over the heat. "What is it?" she asked, as politely as she could.

"Le Walter Surprise," he answered in a grandiose voice. "An autumnal legume salad with a peach roux." Clementine raised an eyebrow. "It's peaches and beans. It's all we got." _Peaches?_ "Anyway, I'll take it from here," Walter said, picking up the pot and walking off deeper into the kitchen.


	22. Chapter 22

AN: The lodge arc is only three more chapters. Honestly I found this part pretty boring. Carver's camp is what I really wanted to write about in the first place so I'm glad it's finally almost hereeee /excitement

* * *

Clementine stood and walked back into the room with a fireplace. Sarah and Sarita were busily decorating a huge Christmas tree. She heard snippets of their conversation as she wandered over.

"What's that song you're humming?"

"Good King Wenceslas. It's my favorite Christmas song."

"What's it about?"

"Well… It's about a king that brings food to a poor man. The king and his servant march all night through a cold winter storm to reach the man. The storm is very strong. After a long time, it gets so cold that the servant can't go on. But the king tells the servant to just step in his tracks. 'Mark my footsteps good, my page. Tread thou in them boldly. Thou shalt find the winter rage freeze they blood less coldly.'"

"I don't get it."

"It means that doing good things for people can be good for you, too."

"But the servant wouldn't have been out there in the first place if the king hadn't made him."

"Good point!"

Clementine smiled to herself. It had been a long time since she'd seen people interact so… normally. They didn't have to fear walkers or starvation here, and it didn't seem like they were being followed. It was a surreal feeling.

Sarita smiled at her. "Clem, we could use some help. Here, Sarah, you take this and string them up over there." Clementine reached into the box of ornaments and began to place them on the tree, one by one. Sarita turned to her again. "You knew Kenny before. It must be incredible to see him again! When I met him… well… he's so different now."

"Yeah, I'm really glad," Clementine smiled. _What a pleasant person._ "So how did you meet Kenny?"

"I found him holed up in an old restaurant, if you can believe it," she said, laughing a little. "You should have seen his beard then!" She looked up at the tree. "Perfect! Now we just need the topper."

"We always had an angel on top of our tree," Sarah said, looking up at the tree dreamily.

"My family didn't celebrate Christmas, but I still love the decorations," Sarita smiled.

Clementine heard her group's voices upstairs, so she made her way up. They seemed to be arguing about something. She leaned against the railing at the top and stood at the edge of the group, listening.

"It's crazy. Why would they follow us this far?" Rebecca asked.

"We can't be sure," Carlos said, his voice resigned.

"It's been a week, man," Alvin pointed out. "We gotta be outta the woods."

Carlos shook his head, crossing his arms in front of him. "They might be tracking us."

"Tracking?" Alvin asked incredulously. "Who do you think they are, ninjas?"

"We cannot take any chances," Carlos said firmly. "We leave at dawn."

Rebecca's brow creased in concern. "But we're safe here for tonight, right?" She seemed too tired to put up much of a fight.

Carlos turned toward Clementine. "Clementine, you talked to that man Walter, right? What did he say? You didn't tell him anything about us, did you?"

"We mostly talked about Kenny," she answered. "Although, he mentioned this person Matthew again…" Her voice trailed off, fearful of where that thought would lead.

"Look, I don't care what that man said," Alvin said, his face set. "We're stayin' here tonight."

"Just talk to the rest of them," Carlos told Clementine. "They trust you. See what you can find out. I'm gonna go find Luke." He quickly went downstairs.

"Honey, I don't feel so good," Rebecca said, holding her head in her hands.

Alvin knelt down immediately, looking worried. "Bec, what's wrong?"

"I just need somethin' to drink," she said weakly.

"You got it. I'll be right back." Alvin turned and headed down to the kitchen.

Clementine sat next to Rebecca, still guilty for brushing her off. "Are you ok?" she asked timidly.

"Just got a little dizzy," she said, shaking her head. She sighed. "I can't even take care of myself. How am I supposed to raise a child?"

Clementine looked at the ground. "I don't know," she answered honestly.

"Everything's so fucked up," Rebecca said, her voice cracking. "I know it's gonna be hard." Her voice softened. "But at the same time, I already feel a little less lonely. Because I know that no matter what happens, I'll get to meet someone new." She placed a hand on her belly protectively.

Suddenly, she smiled and turned to Clementine. "She's kicking. Wanna feel?" Tentatively, Clementine reached toward her and placed her hand softly on Rebecca's stomach. She felt a tiny but firm fluttering under her palm. Surprised, she withdrew her hand and smiled at Rebecca. "She's gonna be a runner," Rebecca said proudly.

Rebecca's smile faltered and she teared up. "It's not his," she blurted, her voice choked.

Clementine looked away. She wasn't entirely surprised by the news. Sighing, she turned back to Rebecca. "Even if that's true, something tells me Alvin'll still treat it like his own. He's a good man, Rebecca." Rebecca looked at her gratefully, tears still glistening in her eyes.

"You all right, baby?" Alvin asked as he came up the stairs. He was holding a water bottle. Rebecca smiled when she saw him, blinking quickly.

"I'm fine, you big dope," she said playfully. She seemed to feel a little better.

"We just need to get some food in you," he said. He turned to Clementine. "Can you go ask that Walter guy when we're gonna eat?"

"Sure," Clementine said, climbing down the stairs.

Sarita stopped her when she walked past the Christmas tree. "Hey… Clementine?" she asked tentatively, her voice low. "I wanted to ask you. Does Kenny seem… different to you? I didn't know him before, and, well… I'm curious."

Clementine thought to herself for a moment. He had always been a bit hot-headed, and the way he'd treated the group was typical for him. Yet, Clementine had the feeling that he was just a little closer to the edge. She thought she sensed something dark just underneath the surface that hadn't been there before.

She turned back to Sarita, uncertain what to tell her. "It's hard to say. I think there is something, but I can't quite put it into words." Her eyebrows wrinkled in frustration as she tried to work it out in her mind. Sarita nodded, taking it in.

Suddenly, Kenny appeared behind her. "Well, you three've been busy," he said, looking up at the tree appreciatively.

"Kenny!" Sarita smiled. "Isn't it great?" She turned and lifted an empty box of ornaments.

"I got it, hon," Kenny said, moving to take it from her.

Sarita shifted it capably, frowning. "I think I can manage, Ken."

Kenny grabbed it from her forcefully, raising his voice. "I said I got it." He turned and walked off with it, leaving Sarita empty-handed, an uncomfortable look on her face.

She shook it off quickly and turned back to Clementine. "Always has to play the gentleman. But I'll tell you, when I met him, he couldn't lift a fly." The twinkle was already back in her eye.

Walter called from the kitchen. "Well everyone, dinner is served. C'mon, let's eat!"


	23. Chapter 23

The group filed into the dining area, which was made up of rows of picnic tables. With a jolt, Clementine realized that it reminded her of a school cafeteria. It felt like recalling another life.

Clementine had walked in last, seeing Luke's group at one table and Kenny's at another. Luke waved at her to join them, but Kenny called her name at the same time. She paused, conflicted. Looking between the two for a moment, she walked over to Luke and sat down, her ears burning. She avoided Kenny's eyes and focused on the bowl in front of her.

Luke glanced back at Kenny before looking at Clementine intently. "So what's the deal with your friend here?" he asked, his voice low.

"Yes, we were just talking about this man Kenny," Carlos nodded. "What do you make of him?"

"He… has been known to make rash decisions," Clementine said, choosing her words carefully. "He's impulsive and strong-willed. But even so, he's one of the most loyal people I've ever met. I'd trust him with my life."

"Walter was tellin' me his family died," Luke said, his face pained.

"That's horrible!" Sarah gasped.

"Thing like that can hit a guy pretty hard," Luke continued. Clementine looked at him carefully, understanding his implication.

"It did," she said pointedly. "But he's a strong person. He pulled through."

Kenny suddenly got up with his bowl and moved next to Luke. "Hey there," he said, grinning. "Hope you like the food."

"Oh, it's… it's great," Luke said, his face twisted a bit. "Thank you." Clementine rolled her eyes internally. _He's a horrible liar._

"Peaches and beans," Kenny continued. "Great for nutrition. Not too great on the way out though, I tell ya." He gave a hearty laugh, slapping his knee. "So, it's Luke… and Nick. Luke and Nick. You guys sure do look like a match." He raised his eyebrows, barely containing a smug look.

Luke paused with his spoon halfway to his mouth, his eyes wide. He glared at Kenny.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Nick demanded, clearly offended.

"I'm just sayin', you guys look like good friends, that's all," Kenny said, still chuckling to himself.

"So, what was your plan here?" Luke asked, his face still a little sour. "Thinkin' of holin' up here for the winter?"

"Actually, we were thinkin' of movin' on," Kenny answered. "Somewhere up north. You ever heard of a place called Wellington?" He looked at Clementine.

She nodded. "Yeah, Christa and I were going there."

"There's supposed to be a big camp up near Michigan," he said.

"Michigan?" Nick asked.

"You got a hearin' problem, kid?" Kenny snapped, suddenly irritated. "Yeah, Michigan. Think about it. Fresh water, lots of land, and cold ass winters so the walkers get slow."

"Sounds like bullshit," Nick said flatly, scowling at Kenny.

"Listen, Vanilla Ice, I don't know what your deal is, but you're more than welcome to take off in the morning."

"Well that'd be just fine by me!"

"What's the deal with these guys, Clem?"

"Hey, fuck you, buddy."

Clementine slammed her spoon on the table. "You guys need to calm down so I can eat in peace," she said cooly, keeping her voice level and controlled. They all stopped and stared at her, taken aback.

Walter appeared behind her. "Please, gentleman, there's no need for this. Now look, we've all had a long day. Please, eat." The men picked at their food in stony silence. He turned to Clementine. "Can I have some help outside, Clem?"

She stood and followed him out into the crisp evening air. They walked around the lodge on the deck slowly.

"I'm sorry about that," Walter said. "I used to be a teacher. I remember what it's like to be caught in the middle of two cliques. I suspect they'll find common ground soon enough." His tone was grating and bordered on condescension, but Clementine bit her tongue. Walter clearly meant well. "It may take some time, but that's just how these things work. Everything will be fine." He smiled at her. "Listen, relationships are like any machine. You don't throw them out when they break down. You get your hands dirty and you grease the wheels!"

Clementine raised her eyebrows. "Even so, I'm leaving in the morning."

Walter's face fell. "No, no, you gotta stay," he said.

"We have to keep moving," Clementine told him.

"Clementine, in this world you don't have to do anything," he said. "They say the world is over, but I'll tell you a secret: it's not. People are more political now than they ever were before. In the end, we can't change the world. All we can do is continue to learn from each other. To empathize, and use our heads. 'All war is a symptom of man's failure as a thinking animal.' Steinbeck. Have you read him?"

"Of course," Clementine said, happy for a chance to break into his monologue. _He certainly was a teacher._ "I used to love to read." Her face was wistful for a moment.

He looked at her appreciatively. "My partner is amassing quite the literature collection. I think you'll like him. In any case, the point is: as long as we have our wits about us, we can always make the right choice. Right?"

She looked away. "That's a little simplistic, don't you think?" Her forehead wrinkled. "I don't think there are right choices. And even if there were, it's impossible to know which one was right until it's too late. It's pointless in this world to use concepts like 'right' and 'wrong.' All you can do is try to survive."

Walter looked concerned. He opened his mouth, but was interrupted by Kenny walking up behind them. "Hey, kids. What are you two talkin' about?" Walter gave Clementine one more worried glance before turning to Kenny. "Oh, politics," he said, waving his hand.

"The hell?" Kenny grinned.

"Being from Florida, I would imagine you know all about politics, Kenny," Walter smiled back.

"Man, I know one advantage of livin' in the apocalypse is not dealin' with that shit no more," Kenny laughed. "I was just gonna check the windows 'round back before this storm hits. Give us a hand?"

"Sure," Walter agreed. Clementine followed them around to the back windows.

When they turned the corner, they saw a small, thin woman crouched against the glass, peering in. Kenny stepped forward, angry, but Walter placed a hand on his shoulder, stopping him. "Miss?" he said hesitantly.

She turned toward them, startled, and jumped back from the glass. She put her hands up, shaking a little and eyeing Kenny's rifle with wide eyes. "Please, do you have any food?" she asked, her voice wavering.

"Are you okay?" Walter asked, concerned.

"I saw the house, and… I have a family. We're starving," she said haltingly. "We live down there." She motioned toward the valley.

"Of course. Why don't you come in, miss…?"

"Bonnie." _She looked… sad?_

"Walt, I don't know," Kenny said, his voice low. "You're just gonna let her in like that?"

"It's fine, Kenny," Walter said firmly.

"We don't know this girl," Kenny insisted.

"Then we'll have to get to know her," Walter said, turning and giving him a look. "How much damage can this poor woman do?"

"You can't just let her in," Clementine said flatly. "At least check her for weapons."

"Thank you, Clem," Kenny said, nodding at her.

Bonnie looked unsure. "Thank you, really, but that storm'll be on us soon and I gotta get back to my family."

"I'll bring something out to you, then," Walter smiled.

"You don't have to do that," the woman said quickly.

"No, no, it's fine," he insisted, waving his hand.

"What about your people?"

"We've got plenty. You stay put. I'll be right back." He turned and went into the house, leaving Bonnie with Clementine and Kenny. The clouds crackled ominously in the distance.

Clementine stood with the woman in the semi-darkness, watching her rub her neck uncomfortably. She stared at the woman in silence until Walter came back carrying a heavy box of cans.

"Here you are, miss," he said, handing her the box.

Her eyes were wide with surprise. "This is too much," she said, shocked.

"Don't mention it," Walter smiled.

The woman avoided his eyes. "I don't… know how to thank you."

"Just help someone else down the line," Walter said.

"Thank you… so much," Bonnie said, a small smile on her face. "I'll be… going now."

"You stay safe," Walter told her. The woman turned and made her way back down the mountain.

"Clem, go on inside," Kenny told her, irritation in his voice. "Walt and I gotta talk for a second."


	24. Chapter 24

Clementine walked back into the lodge. Everyone seemed to be finished with dinner, because the first floor was deserted. She was just about to go upstairs to find her room when she saw Luke motion at her from behind a corner.

"Clementine!" he hissed. "Over here." She walked over, a quizzical look on her face. He looked anxious about something. "Listen, I gotta tell you something," he said, his voice strained. "That guy on the bridge was Walter's friend." He handed her a picture of Walter and the man in front of some mountains, Walter's arm around the man's shoulder.

Her eyes darkened in sadness. "I thought he might have been," she said, biting her lip. "The peaches they have here are the same brand as the ones I found at the station." She crossed her arms, still holding the picture. "What do you wanna do?"

"I don't know." He shook his head. "I don't think Walter knows yet. So we have to keep this quiet. I mean, who knows what the hell he'd do if he found out."

Clementine sighed. "But can we really keep this from him? Wouldn't it be worse if he found out we were hiding it?"

"But how would he find out?" Luke argued. "We keep it down for now and leave in the morning."

"It's a shitty situation," she said, her eyes on the ground. She leaned against the wall, her arms still crossed in front of her.

"Tell me about it," Luke said, frowning. "It don't seem right to keep somethin' like this from him, but he'd ask who did it, and then…" His voice trailed off.

Suddenly, Clementine's eyes widened. _WM…_ "The knife!" she exclaimed. "The letters on the knife weren't initials, they were Walter and Matthew's names." Her stomach sank. "Luke, what if he sees it?"

Luke looked at her anxiously. "Where is it?"

"It's with the other weapons." She peered around the corner at the bench.

He nodded. "Okay, well, go get rid of it. And I'll find Walter and run interference. Oh, and, uh… keep an eye out for Nick."

"I'm right here. What's up?" Nick walked toward them, oblivious. Clementine jumped away from the wall and held the picture behind her back.

Luke looked away and scratched the back of his neck. "Oh, uh, it's nothin' man. I just wanted to check up and see if you're okay." Clementine glared at him from the corner of her eye. _He could at least try to be convincing._

"We're just worried about you, that's all," she said to Nick, her eyes genuinely concerned.

He looked put off. "I keep telling you guys, I'm fine," he grumbled.

Luke gave a nervous laugh. "Okay man, okay. Hey, let's go find a beer or somethin'." He clapped Nick's shoulder and walked off into the lodge. He gave Clementine a worried look over his shoulder. "And Clem, you go do that thing we talked about, alright?"

Clementine walked quickly to the door where the weapons were. Her brow furrowed when she saw her backpack. It was completely unzipped, the hilt of the blade no longer poking out. _Shit._

She looked around for any sign of where it went. Her eyes fell on Walter's form outside the window on the deck, turning the blade around in his hands. She walked to the door slowly. Her heart pounding, she slowly slid the door open, stepping out into the darkness. The wind blew in gusts and clouds hung low and foreboding in the sky.

She stood silently behind Walter, waiting to see what he would do. He continued to turn the knife around in his palms. Eventually, he spoke to her without turning around. "I always liked this knife," he grunted around a cigarette. He unsheathed the knife. "Gave it to Matthew when all this started." He stopped to take a drag of the cigarette. When he continued, his voice was cold and matter-of-fact. "I know he's dead. Who did it? Was it that kid? What's his name… Nick?" He began talking faster. "Heard him talkin' earlier. Something about shooting a man." Clementine was silent. He paused for a long moment. "I could see it," he spat out. "I could see it on his face. Wasn't sure then, but now…"

Clementine spoke, her voice low and calm despite her fear. "He thought we were in danger."

Walter took another long drag. "Is Nick… is Nick a good man? Or is he just like everyone else?" He began to sound hysterical. "Is he just one of those… those fuckers that don't give a shit about anyone but themselves?"

Clementine flinched as he yelled, but she struggled to keep her voice controlled. "He's a good guy, Walter. He saved my life."

Nick slid open the door, his eyes widening when he saw Walter hunched over the knife. Walter kept talking without realizing he was there, more to himself than to Clementine. "He was always going out alone. I told him something like this would happen. But he wouldn't listen. No, Matt always knew best."

"What's going on?" Nick whispered to her, his eyes darting uncertainly from Walter to Clementine.

"Nick, you need to leave," Clementine hissed. She wasn't confident in Walter's state of mind, especially not with him fingering the knife like that.

Walter dropped the cigarette and turned, looming over Clementine menacingly with the knife. His eyes fell on Nick behind her. His face was set, a dangerous glint in his eyes. Suddenly, sadness broke over him. "Tell me what you did. Just tell me, son. Tell me what happened." He sounded like he might cry.

Nick took a step back, holding his hands up. "From a distance it looked like anyone," he stammered. "I… I thought he was going to shoot my friends. And I… I shot Matthew. But it happened real fast. I didn't… I didn't know if I hit him but I did… and… I didn't mean to." He stopped, looking at Walter fearfully.

Walter just stared at him and shook his head, his eyes wide. "Do you know what you've done to me? Do you have any idea?"

Nick's voice was choked. "I didn't mean to. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry, Walter."

Clementine stood between Nick and Walter, watching Walter stroke the metal blade with his fingertips. He stared at the knife for a long moment before throwing it over the railing into the woods. Clementine breathed a sigh of relief and closed her eyes for a moment.

The wind picked up. Walter turned around and watched the turbine spin faster and faster, despair in his eyes. Kenny, Luke, Carlos, and Sarita came through the door as the windmill's whine grew louder, looking confused.

"Walter? What's going on?" Kenny called over the noise. His eyes moved from Walter to Nick for a moment, but he was quickly distracted by a more pressing concern: the noise. "The storm's got it spinnin' outta control," he yelled. "That sound's gonna draw walkers. We gotta shut it down now."


	25. Chapter 25

AN: My Greek class is kicking my butt, so updates might become sporadic for a while. We'll see. In happier news, I finished the first draft of a love scene with Clem and... someone ;)

Carlos turned to Nick. "Help me carry the guns," he instructed.

"Guns?" Sarita asked, her eyes wide.

Clementine looked at Walter in concern as Nick passed out weapons. He handed her a small handgun.

"That windmill's a damn dinner bell," Kenny yelled. He ran toward it with the group close in tow.

A low thump came from the lodge. "The hell was that?" Kenny asked. The lights in the building flickered and then went out. "Dammit. Transformer musta gone," he swore. "Gotta check it. I could use a hand."

"I'll go with you," Luke offered.

"I'm going, too," Sarita declared.

"No!" Kenny turned on her. "It's too dangerous. Rest of you, get this thing shut down." He ran off toward the lodge with Luke, leaving the others to stare at the control panel with puzzled looks.

"Does… anyone know how to do this?" Carlos asked.

"I can do it," Clementine said.

"Okay," Carlos nodded. "We'll watch your back. Nick, scan the trees with me."

Clementine held her lighter up to the switchboard, finding a key hanging on a hook. Guessing, she inserted it into a red button and turned. The blades of the wind turbine slowed to a stop, and she breathed a sigh of relief, wiping her palms on her pants.

However, in the silence that followed, distinctive groans came from the woods around them.

"Somethin' ain't right," Nick mumbled, his eyes narrowed.

Dozens of walkers began to stumble out of the woods, converging on the small group. Carlos lifted his handgun, but his brow creased. "We don't have much ammunition."

"We gotta get back to the lodge," Nick breathed.

The group began to fire, trying to clear a path back to the house. Clementine shot a few walkers, but soon ran out of ammunition. She found herself trapped behind a rock with a dozen walkers still stumbling toward her relentlessly. Just as she was about to make a break for it, the closest few suddenly dropped.

She turned to see Carlos lower his gun. "Get to the lodge!" he yelled.

Sprinting forward, Clementine saw a walker almost on top of Nick. He was barely holding it away from his neck. His eyes fell on Clementine.

However, before she could even make a move to help him, the walker fell to the ground. Walter lowered his gun, looking at Nick with a set expression. Nick looked shocked, his face soon relaxing into a grateful look. Walter only paused for a moment, soon darting off to help Carlos. Nick followed close behind.

Clementine looked at the empty gun in her hands and decided to run inside for more ammo. She saw Sarah, Alvin and Rebecca standing at the window anxiously. She ran up to them, intending to ask where the ammunition was, but she then noticed what they were staring at. Automatic rounds were coming from the woods, picking off walker after walker. There seemed to be four, maybe five shooters. Clementine watched in confusion as the strangers cleared the lodge of walkers.

Four figures strode out of the trees. Clementine recognized the man in front as the man from the cabin, and the woman to his right as the stranger from the window. She shook her head, feeling like an idiot for letting Walter give her food.

The strangers surrounded Sarita, Carlos, Nick, and Walter. "Carver," Rebecca gasped. Carver stepped up to Carlos and said something, but Carlos spat in his face. Carver came back with a punch, causing Sarah to cry out. She ran out the door and sprinted to her father before Clementine could stop her. She tackled him in a hug and hid behind him as Carver's eyes fell on the lodge. He pointed toward it, and Alvin, Rebecca, and Clementine exchanged terrified looks. They crouched and climbed the stairs as quickly as they could, hiding upstairs behind a small wall where they could still hear what was going on.

Clementine heard the others file in. The strangers chattered to themselves, admiring the lodge.

"Look at this place! It's huge!"

"It's indefensible, though. Look at all those windows."

"Bill's gonna hate it."

Clementine peered down cautiously, seeing a man tie up the others. She sat down again by Rebecca and Alvin, shaking her head at them.

Suddenly, Sarah gasped, and Clementine peeked just in time to see Carver drag Carlos to the middle of the floor and punch him hard in the gut. Carlos's eyes bugged out in surprise and he doubled over on the ground, gasping in pain.

"Listen, I'm only gonna ask you once," growled Carver. "Where's Rebecca?"

"Sarah," Carlos choked out. "Look at me. It's gonna be oka-" He grunted as Carver grabbed his hand and bent his middle finger back, filling the air with the sickening crack of snapping bones. Carver raised his voice over Carlos's agonized cries.

"Rebecca? Rebecca, our baby deserves to be raised in a place of safety." Rebecca winced at his words. "I know you're out there. And Alvin. And Luke. And the girl. This is real simple. You want this over quick, you all play nice and show your faces."

Sarah began to whimper and cry. "Don't hurt my dad! Please!" she sobbed.

"He'll kill him!" Alvin hissed.

"No, Alvin." Rebecca shook her head, terrified but firm.

"We gotta go down there," Alvin insisted.

"I can't do that! Where's Luke and Kenny?" Rebecca looked at Clementine desperately. "Can't you go find them? Sneak out somehow?"

Clementine scoffed. "And do what? They're better equipped and they already have bargaining chips. I won't give them a chance to hurt anyone." She crossed her arms firmly. _Rebecca's obviously too afraid to think clearly._

Alvin nodded his assent. "We start shootin' and people are gonna die on both sides."

They heard the crackle of more bones breaking and Carlos's cries of pain as Carver pulled back another of his fingers.

"Dad!" Sarah screamed in horror. "Just stop! Don't hurt my dad! Please!"

"We're going down there." Alvin stared Rebecca down.

"He'll kill you," she said, her voice quivering.

"Fuck you," Carlos choked out from below. He began to yell. "Shoot him! Somebody just shoot hi-" Carver cut him off, grabbing him by his hair and holding a knife to his neck.

"Rebecca! GO!" Clementine hissed.

"Say goodbye, Carlos," Carver said through gritted teeth.

"Sarah, don't look-"

Rebecca took a deep breath and stood. "Bill, stop!" she cried.

Carver's eyes lit up. "Ah!" he breathed. He threw Carlos to the ground. Rebecca, Alvin, and Clementine filed down the stairs as he watched, smiling. He walked up to Rebecca and stroked her cheek. "You alright?" he asked tenderly.

"Fuck you, Bill," she spat.

Clementine, Alvin, and Rebecca were tied up and lined next to the others kneeling against the wall.

"You don't have to do this," Walter tried to appeal to Bonnie. "Just let these people go."

"Shut up," she said, her voice shaking a little.

Suddenly, a gunshot cracked, and the sound of shattered glass filled the air. One of Carver's men fell lifeless to the ground.

"Kenny!" Sarita gasped.

Carver and the others quickly moved behind pillars. Carver's face was dangerous. "Watch them," he directed to Bonnie as he strode toward the group.

Grabbing Walter roughly by his neck, he pulled him up and dragged him to the window, using Walter to shield his body. Walter stared at the ground as if fascinated, and Clementine saw the picture of him and Matthew still lying there. He opened his mouth to say something, still staring at the picture, but Carver shot him in the temple before he made a single sound.

Sarah gasped and screamed as the group stared at Walter's lifeless body in horror.

"That's for our man!" Carver yelled at the window. "Now, I didn't want to do this, but you ain't leavin' me much choice. So here's what's gonna happen. I'm gonna march another one of your friends out here and I'm gonna put a bullet in the back of their head." Sarah screamed again, sobbing hysterically. "Or, you could give up now. Your choice."

Kenny's answer came as another gunshot. It grazed against the pillar, narrowly missing Carver's nose.

Carver stepped back to the group, scanning their faces before stopping on one. "Hi, Alvin," he grinned, lifting him up.

"Bill, no!" Rebecca cried. "Tell him to stop. Kenny, stop!"

"Do you remember George, Alvin?" Carver murmured to him as he dragged him to the window. "You see, I do. I remember a guy that was your friend named George. I remember when you murdered him in cold blood. And why. Because you didn't like me? You could have lodged a complaint. You could have… well, you could have been civil."

"Bill, no, we'll do anything you want," Rebecca sobbed.

Carver waited for a moment, before giving a disdainful "hmph" and sending a bullet through Alvin's head. Alvin's body dropped to the ground heavily.

Carver's eyes fell on Clementine, who was watching his every move through wide eyes. He lifted her effortlessly into the air and carried her to the window with a gun to her head. Her breathing was fast and shallow, her eyes squeezed shut. She tried not to think.

"We can do this all night," Carver yelled, his voice loud in her ear. "Is that what you want?" She felt the cold metal of the gun pressed against her cheek.

Suddenly, the door creaked open, and Kenny walked into the lodge with his hands up, his head hung in defeat.

They tied him up quickly, and Carver paced in front of them, surveying his captives. "Where's Luke?" he demanded. The only sounds were Sarah's quiet sobs. "Finally cut and run, eh? Why am I not surprised?" He turned and pointed his finger at them accusingly. "I warned you. I warned you not to follow him, and look where he's led you. But you're safe now. We're going home." He walked to Rebecca, the only person making eye contact with him, and smiled. "As a family." She placed her hands protectively over her stomach. He looked over them, satisfied. "All right. Round 'em up. We're headin' back to camp."

The strangers lifted them one by one and packed them into the truck, and they drove off into the storm.


	26. Chapter 26

Clementine stared at the metal floor as the truck rattled over the ground.

They'd spent the night in the truck, shivering and huddling together in the cold. In the morning, the truck jolted them awake rudely. It was hard to tell how much time had passed from inside the windowless vehicle.

Clementine couldn't stop worrying about Luke. She had no idea what he'd done after checking the transformer with Kenny, and Kenny didn't seem to know any more. Images of Luke lying in the forest being devoured leapt into her mind unbidden. She squeezed her eyes shut as if that could stop her thoughts.

Suddenly, the back of the truck swung open. She opened her eyes, squinting in the sudden brightness. Two men with automatics stood in the doorway.

"Anybody who needs to piss, now's your chance," one of them said gruffly. Sarah timidly raised her bound hands, but nobody else seemed interested. The man's eyes fell on Clementine, and he motioned toward her. "You. Come on."

Clementine and Sarah stepped out of the truck and had their bindings removed. "You girls got two minutes," the men told them. Clementine walked into the woods with Sarah and leaned against the tree, waiting for her to finish. She looked up at the sky through the leaves. The woods had a golden glow. _You never really appreciate the sky until you're locked up in darkness,_ she contemplated to herself.

"You about done over there?" one of the guards snapped, interrupting her thoughts.

"Yeah, one second," Sarah called, walking past Clementine while fastening her pants. Clementine looked at the younger girl, concerned. It was hard to tell how much of the situation Sarah understood. Clementine just hoped she was coping alright. She had a feeling Sarah didn't deal well with change.

Sarah saw Clementine looking at her, and she gave her a grateful smile. "Thanks for coming with me, Clem," she said. "It's scary out here."

Clementine nodded at her and did her best to return Sarah's smile. "Of course I'd come with you. Wouldn't want any mountain lions to get you." She nudged Sarah playfully.

They walked back to the truck under the guard's watchful gaze. "Everything come out alright, girls?" he asked in a low voice. Something about his tone seemed wrong, and both girls gave him a disgusted look. Carver stood behind him with a walkie-talkie at his mouth. He turned and glared at the man.

"Troy, get 'em tied up," he barked.

"Will do," Troy said.

Carver turned back to the walkie-talkie. Clementine listened as Troy tied them up again. "Well, we're on our way. Probably thirty minutes out. Make sure everyone's prepped. Emotions might be running high. Carver out." He turned back to Troy. "If I find out you've been wasting fuel to keep that fuckin' heater going, I'll make you walk back."

"Nope," Troy answered promptly. "Froze my ass off. Just like you told me to."

Carver caught Clementine's stare. He gave her a cool look. "It ain't polite to listen to other folks' conversations," he told her.

Clementine said nothing. Her golden eyes continued to probe his dark, deep set ones. Suddenly he struck at her, slapping her to the ground. Clementine touched her cheek gingerly, feeling it already puffing up. "Don't test me, girl," he said as he stood over her threateningly. "I'll pass every time." He turned back to Troy. "Get the girls back in with the rest of 'em. We got a bit of a drive ahead of us." He walked back into the front of the truck.

Troy lifted the back and motioned the girls to get in with his gun. The group looked over them anxiously.

"Are you guys ok?" Sarita asked.

Kenny looked at Clementine's face angrily. "The hell did he do to you? Hey! Did he hurt you? Hey! Hey!" But Troy closed the door on him, leaving them in darkness.

The group rode along in silence once more. Kenny's eyes roamed the interior of the truck restlessly. "We gotta do something," he finally burst out. "Come on. Anyone got anything sharp? Anything?" The reset of the group was unresponsive, their eyes lowered. "We gotta get these bindings off. Hey! Clem, help me find something to get these off. Anything sharp that could cut these…"

"And what good is that gonna do?" Rebecca asked.

"The hell is wrong with you people? We gotta get out of here!" Kenny said, raising his voice.

"She's right, Kenny. Even if we get them off, they still have guns and we still don't," Clementine pointed out.

"Are you just fuckin' givin' up?" Kenny said, his eyes burning. He was yelling now. "We're in a fuckin' precarious position here! We gotta do somethin' about that!"

Carlos's low, calm voice interrupted him. "Settle down, Kenny. They took everything. We have to keep a level head."

"He's right," Rebecca nodded. "You don't know Bill like we do."

"Bill?" Kenny asked, incensed. "This whole time it's Carver, Carver, Carver, now he's fuckin' Bill?" The truck went over a rock, jerking everyone to the side. "Oh, I see what it is. Y'all are just gettin' a ride home, aren't ya? That's what's goin' on here."

"Say that again," threatened Nick through gritted teeth.

"I'd stay outta this, boy," Kenny spat.

"Mister, I ain't a boy," Nick shot back.

"No, right… You're a man," Kenny said, mocking him.

"You don't understand," Rebecca broke in. "He's different… he's worse." She looked terrified.

"What do you mean, worse?" Clementine asked.

"He's a fuckin' psychopath now," Kenny said, still mocking them.

Carlos looked up with a fierce expression. "You have no idea what you're dealing with!" he growled at Kenny.

"Oh, he gave me a pretty good goddamn idea back at the lodge, and I don't intend to sit around here and let that happen to the rest of us!" Kenny yelled. "I'm tryin' to help!"

"I'm sure Walter really appreciated your help," Carlos said cooly. Kenny's face fell. Clementine gasped a little. _That was low._

"That's not fair," Sarita said firmly. "You're blaming him for the actions of a madman."

"I am pointing out that, regardless of intent, there are consequences for rash actions," Carlos said, enunciating every syllable. "Something that he seems to be misreading as capitulation."

Kenny looked frustrated. "I dunno what the fuck you're sayin', but I know it's bullshit! We have to do something!"

"Kenny," Sarita started.

Rebecca shook her head. "You can't reason with him," she muttered.

Kenny's eyes fell on a loose sheet of metal behind Clementine. "Oh shit! Jackpot!"

He stood and began rubbing his bindings on the sharp edge.

"Sit down," Carlos told him. "You're going to get us all killed."

"Y'all don't know what you're talkin' about," Kenny insisted, working on his bindings. "We get cooped up in some kennel like a buncha fuckin' dogs, it's over!"

"Everyone shut up," Clementine said, her voice tired. "Everyone's just hungry and cranky."

Rebecca nodded. "She's right, we should all take it down a bit."

Kenny managed to free himself, and he rubbed his wrists triumphantly. "All right, now we're talkin'," he grinned.

Carlos continued to reason with him. "Carver will be on the other side of that door with ten people," he started. Sarah's quiet sobs interrupted him. Rebecca patted her knee reassuringly.

"There, there, baby, it's okay. Everything's gonna be fine," she murmured.

Carlos sighed. "At this point, maybe Luke is the only hope we have."

"If he was gonna do somethin' he'd've done it by now," Kenny snapped.

"Who knows what he's dealing with?" Rebecca said defensively. "Anything can happen out there."

"I'll tell you what happened: he abandoned us," Kenny said.

"He wouldn't do that," Clementine said, glaring at Kenny. "He's not that kind of person."

"He's a flake," Kenny shook his head. "I could tell the second I set eyes on him."

"He'll be here," Nick insisted.

"Oh yeah? When?" Kenny yelled. "After that crazy fuck's killed us all?"

The truck went over another large bump. Carlos looked around, his eyes wide. "We're close," he said.

"Alright. Let's do this," Kenny said forcefully.

"They have guns. What exactly do you expect to do?" Rebecca asked scornfully.

"I'm gonna punch the first sonuvubitch I see," Kenny answered. "Then I'm gonna take his gun and use it to shoot the next sonuvubitch I see."

"Just sit down," Carlos said, as if talking to a young child.

Kenny stood by the entrance, preparing to jump out. But before he could say anything else, the truck came to an abrupt stop and Kenny banged his head on the door, falling to the floor. He was out cold.

"Kenny!" Sarita cried, running over.

"Is he okay?" Rebecca asked.

"I- I think so," Sarita said, looking at his head closely. He blinked a few times, making incoherent noises.

"Probably for the best," Carlos mumbled under his breath.


	27. Chapter 27

The door to the truck opened, revealing three armed figures – Troy, Bonnie, and a large black woman.

"All right, up and at 'em," she said authoritatively.

The group filed out of the truck. Kenny went last, rubbing his head.

"The fuck? How'd you get your restraints off? C'mere," Troy barked at Kenny.

They escorted the group through what looked like a warehouse. Strangers paused what they were doing and stared at the group as Carver's voice echoed at them from above. "Now, I understand some of you are confused as to why we'd bring these people back when they left us as they did. It might not come all at once, but time will heal these wounds, so be patient with them until it does. And take solace in knowing that they're here to help us make our home a better place."

The group walked into what used to be a large back storage room of the warehouse, passing huge stockpiles of food. Looking up, Clementine saw a glass window up above. She could make out Carver's form looking down at them. She had the eerie feeling his eyes were on her.

Carver's speech continued in the background as they walked. "As many of you already know, a large herd of lurkers gathered just south of us."

Troy came up beside the group and motioned for Carlos. "C'mere, doc. We need you for somethin'."

"Can it wait until morning?" Carlos asked, resigned. "We're all exhausted."

"Just come the fuck on," Troy glared at him. He led Carlos away.

Sarah's eyes went wide. She stopped walking for a moment. "I need him! I need my dad," she gasped. "I- I can't- he- he looks after me."

She kept walking when Troy poked his gun at her, but she kept looking over her shoulder anxiously. Clementine looked at her sadly.

"He'll be back, Sarah," she told her. "In the meantime, I won't let anything happen to you, okay?" Sarah looked up at her with big, scared eyes.

They reached a barred metal gate. It seemed to lead to an outdoor area. Bonnie unlocked it, murmuring instructions as she did so. "Make sure y'all stay off the fence. Bill can see if you're messin' with it." She lifted the gate and motioned them inside.

Clementine caught the end of Bill's speech as she stepped out. "It's no longer enough to survive. It is our obligation to make this community a beacon of hope. To provide a light… a bright light. Bright enough to shine in all this darkness." His words sent chills down her spine.

Clementine found herself in a gated outdoor area with bunks on one end and folding chairs arranged around a fire pit in the middle. The tall walls and barred door were reminiscent of livestock enclosures.

Troy undid their bindings. "Y'all better get some rest, 'cause there ain't gonna be much for you tomorrow," he told them.

"That's for you," Bonnie told Rebecca, motioning toward a thin cot.

"Yeah, it would be. Fuckin' Bill. I may be out in the cold, but at least I'll be comfortable," she muttered, her arms crossed.

"Hey, guys," said an unfamiliar voice.

Rebecca gasped. "Reggie!" she said.

A one-armed man stood by the fire smiling at him. Rebecca gave him a hug, apologizing. "I'm so sorry… I'm so sorry…" she murmured. "What did they do to you?"

"This could've been worse, trust me," he shrugged. "I'm lucky to be alive."

"This is my fault," Nick said, his eyes wide.

"No, it's not, I'd tell you if it was," Reggie shook his head. "This happened well after you guys left. They got me working outside. Lurker snuck up on me while I was hammering something. Luckily they took the arm off quick. Saved my life." He smiled.

Rebecca looked horrified. "That's awful. I'm so sorry."

"Look, it was my choice to help you guys," he said.

"Hey, Reggie," Troy said shortly.

"Oh, hey Troy," Reggie said in a singsong voice.

"Don't go fuckin' up now," Troy said menacingly. "Bill's real close to lettin' you outta here. You make sure things stay nice and quiet out here tonight, and I'll be sure to let Bill know just how helpful you were."

Reggie looked delighted. "Yeah, you can count on me," he said, nodding vigorously. "Thanks, Troy."

Troy and Bonnie left the enclosure, closing the door behind them.

Kenny, Sarita, and Clementine stood off to the side. Reggie looked at them curiously.

"Oh, right, let me introduce you," Rebecca said. "We were with them when we got caught."

"Hi, I'm Reggie," he said, a friendly look on his face.

"That's Sarita, that's Clementine, and that's Kenny." They exchanged greetings. Clementine smiled at him cautiously. _He seems a bit dense. Nice, though._

Reggie turned back to Rebecca. "Hey… where's Carlos?"

"Bill's already got him lookin' at somebody," Rebecca answered.

"Oh… okay. Good. What about Pete?" The group stood in uncomfortable silence. "And Alvin? ...Daisy? …Luke?"

"We're not sure about Luke," Rebecca said, her voice cracking. Reggie nodded.

"Can you guys save it for the morning?" a gruff voice called from across the enclosure.

"No problem, sorry about that," Reggie called. He turned back to them. "Okay, that's Mike. He's kind of a dick when he's tired, but… like I said, he saved my life, so I put up with that shit. Bill put him to work outside the wall with me."

Clementine looked around the pen, suddenly noticing a female figure sitting at the picnic table. She tuned out the groups' voices and stared at the strange woman. She had short cropped hair and a petite frame. Her face was sharp and defined, with a pointed nose and chin and high cheekbones. Her eyes met Clementine's, and Clementine felt a burst of electricity under the woman's intense gaze. She found herself unable to look away.

Noticing Clementine's stare, Reggie and the others turned to look. Under everyone's eyes, the woman got up from the table and walked off, her movements quick and efficient but graceful. "Oh, yeah, her," Reggie murmured. "Okay, so she's fuckin' weird. They found her sneaking around outside covered in guts and just, like, the grossest shit."

"It's probably best not to stare," Rebecca whispered to Sarah. Clementine looked down, feeling a bit odd. She shook herself, trying to drop the strange woman from her mind. _I'm just tired,_ she thought.


	28. Chapter 28

She slowly began listening to the conversation again. Reggie seemed to be trying to reassure Rebecca. "I know how it must look, but it's really not that bad here," he smiled.

"Reggie-," Rebecca started, her voice reproachful.

"No, I'm serious!" he cut her off. "Where else are you going to find food like we have? We've got the canned stuff, and now with the greenhouses coming along we've got fresh food. The building's getting more and more secure all the time…" His eyes lit up as he talked about the community. "Mostly through forced labor, but that's only temporary. They've even got the solar panels working. When was the last time you had electricity, huh?"

"Well, we just came from a lodge with a wind turbine-," Sarah started.

"It's not a competition," Reggie said shortly. "I'm just saying, it's not as bad as you think. We're building something great here, guys. A real community. Bill is making it happen." He seemed to be genuinely proud of Carver. Clementine pursed her lips.

"This isn't a community," she said pointedly. "We're being held here against our will. This is a prison."

Reggie's face faltered. He opened his mouth like he wanted to say something, but just sighed instead. "Look, I'm really close to being let back into the group. Once that happens, I can do a lot more to help you guys be more comfortable."

Kenny bristled. "Comfortable? What do you think this is?"

Reggie didn't make eye contact. "I just don't want you to mess things up for me," he said quietly. "I've worked really hard to get to this point. Will you please just try not to cause any trouble?"

Clementine crossed her arms and looked at him with one eyebrow raised. "I'll do what I have to do," she said shortly.

Reggie looked downcast. "Well… we can at least talk about it more in the morning. Just have a quiet night and chat again tomorrow."

"I can't believe what I'm hearing," Rebecca said reproachfully.

"Look, the fact is, Bill had every reason to kill me when I helped you guys," Reggie said defensively. "But he didn't. Obviously I don't know what happened while you all were gone, but he's given me a second chance and I know he'd do the same for you."

"Reggie, I don't want a second chance," Rebecca told him. "After what he did to Alvin… I want him dead." Her lip curled. Reggie's face fell, and he avoided her eyes.

Suddenly, Rebecca gasped and clutched her stomach. "I need to sit down," she said unsteadily.

Sarita stepped in. "Yeah, come on. Sarah, can you go see if there's something for her to drink?"

"Okay," Sarah said, turning.

"Yeah, there's water over by the benches," Reggie pointed. He began mumbling to himself. "That didn't go as planned… should've actually made a plan."

He walked off toward the others, leaving Kenny and Clementine alone together.

"Man, fuck that guy," Kenny muttered. "I don't think we can trust him. I mean, clearly he's already drank too much of the kool-aid."

"I was thinking exactly the same thing," Clementine said, crossing her arms. "How are we getting out of here?"

"You gotta look around," he said. "Gotta find something to exploit. There's gotta be some sort of weak spot in here." He turned to distract Reggie, motioning Clementine to poke around.

She explored as much of the enclosure as she could, but the fence was strong and fortified. The only way out of the pen seemed to be a wench with a hook and rope dangling from the rooftop above, but it was far too high to reach without outside help.

Before she could look further, Troy walked in with Carlos.

"Dad!" Sarah cried, running to hug him. He looked horrible; his eye was swollen and his fingers were splinted together. His movements were heavy.

"Alright, go the fuck to sleep," Troy spat. "I'm shootin' the first one of y'all I see up wanderin' around before sun-up. Everybody get to bed!" He pulled the door closed emphatically behind him. _What a drama queen._

Clementine curled up on a hard bottom bunk with the rest of the group, but she tossed and turned, unable to quiet her mind. She was uncomfortable and the cold made her stitches itch, but she dreaded the morning and wished it would never come. She found herself wondering where Luke was right now. She took a few deep breaths, trying to calm herself.

"Clem?" A soft voice whispered right in her ear. Clementine jumped involuntarily, relaxing when she saw Sarah.

"Yeah? Do you need something?" Clementine sat up a little on her forearm. Sarah was crouched next to Clementine's bunk, looking anxious.

"I was just… scared…" she whispered, biting her lip.

Clementine sighed. "Do you wanna sleep next to me?" she offered reluctantly. The bunk was small as it was, not that there was much difference between it and the ground.

Sarah nodded and climbed in with Clementine, curling up like a cat next to her. Clementine rolled onto her back. Sarah's breathing slowed from its jagged pace, becoming even and regular. _Poor thing._ Clementine took a deep breath, squeezed her eyes shut, and tried to sleep.


	29. Chapter 29

Clementine woke the next morning to the sounds of the group shuffling awake. She blinked groggily and saw Troy rousing the others. They were making their way to the gate where Carver was standing, waiting. She shook Sarah awake gently and stood up to stretch. Troy looked at her and glared.

"Come on," he motioned toward the gate with his head. "Bill's gonna have a word."

The group stood in a half circle around Carver. "There's been increased walker activity along the fence, so be mindful when outside these walls," he started. "The herd's moved a little closer as of this morning, but that still doesn't necessarily mean we'll be hit. Know we're monitoring the situation. Now… there are some folks might be sore about what happened… at how things went. Well, that's all in the past now." He paused and gazed at each of them in turn. "Some of you are new to our community. Some of you are members who went astray. But know that you can find redemption here… forgiveness… by proving your worth through what will undoubtedly be hard work."

Sarah stepped closer to Clementine and began to whisper. "Thanks for keeping me company, Clem." Carver stopped at looked at her, his eyes narrowed.

Clementine didn't look over. She shook her head almost imperceptibly. Not the time, Sarah.

She kept going as Carver was talking. "I was really scared, but I think it's gonna be okay. I just think it was nice to finally-"

"Carlos!" Carver shouted, his face menacing.

Carlos' face was pained. He closed his eyes for a moment and swallowed. "Yes?" he asked.

"Your child seems to be in need of correction," Carver growled.

"I'm sorry," Carlos said, his eyes wide. For once, he seemed to be at a loss for words. "I- Sarah, a- apologize to Mr. Carver."

Sarah looked down and grabbed her arm with one hand. "S- I'm… sorry, sir," she stammered.

"No, no, that ain't gonna cut it," he snarled. "I can't have this kind of behavior on day one of your reform. You discipline her now, Carlos." He pointed an accusatory finger at Carlos.

"How do you propose that I-"

"One good smack across the mouth should do it. It'll make her think twice before opening it up again. Go on, we'll wait." Carver crossed his arms smugly.

The group shifted uncomfortably. Nobody looked at Carlos.

He seemed to be searching for a way out. "My… I'm not sure with my hand that I could…"

"Well, that's why you got two hands, Carlos," Carver snapped. He approached him, standing half a foot from his face. "Come on. And not some namby pamby thing, alright? A good hard smack. Otherwise, Troy here will do it for ya. I don't think you want that. He can be… overzealous. Is that the word?"

"If it means I'll slap the shit outta her, then yeah," Troy grinned.

Carlos looked down in defeat and turned toward his daughter. He stared at her with a set expression.

She kept apologizing. "I'm sorry, dad, I'm sorry." Her eyes brimmed with tears.

He cut her off. "Close your eyes, honey. It's only going to sting for a second." Sarah looked down and turned her head slightly, eyes closed, waiting. Carlos's arm moved swiftly. Clementine blinked and it was over – Sarah crying on the ground, holding her cheek; Carlos staring down at her, horrified; the group standing transfixed. Carver gave a satisfied nod.

"I'm sorry, Sarah," Carlos gasped, moving toward her.

Carver pushed him back. "Stop!" he yelled. "You're not coddling that girl anymore. Let her sit there and think about what she's done." He looked at Sarah in disgust as she quietly cried on the ground. "Now everyone get to work."

Clementine looked over her shoulder anxiously at Sarah's form on the ground as she was escorted away through the warehouse by Troy and the other guards. The warehouse bustled with activity even this early in the day. Clementine's cheeks flushed as she felt the unfriendly gaze of strangers.

Troy and the black woman from earlier began splitting the group across the vast warehouse. "Where's this one, Tavia?" Troy asked the woman, motioning toward Clementine.

Tavia gave Clementine a dismissive look and pointed toward what looked like an office in the back of the warehouse. "Put her with Bonnie in the armory."

Clementine looked from one to the other, confused. _Am I supposed to just go? Do I wait for them?_

As if he could hear her thoughts, Troy shoved her roughly forward with the butt of his gun. "What are you waitin' for, girl?" he snarled. Clementine lurched forward, almost losing her balance. Rubbing her back, she walked toward the door.

Opening it cautiously, she saw Bonnie standing over some gun parts spread out over a table. She looked up at Clementine and gave a small smile. "You with me?" she asked.

Clementine gave her a stony look, nodding. Bonnie's smile faltered a little, but she pointed toward a bucket of ammo next to a rack of weapons. "Those magazines need to be loaded up."

Clementine sat down next to the rack with her back to Bonnie and began methodically removing guns and loading them, pointedly not looking at the other woman. Bonnie stared at her for another moment before returning to the gun parts in front of her. For several minutes the only sounds in the room were the snapping of the magazines and the faint bustle of the warehouse outside the door.

Finally, Bonnie cleared her throat. "So, how was your first night? I hope it wasn't too cold out there." Clementine felt her guilty look even without turning around. She scowled down at the weapon in her hands and remained silent.

Bonnie waited a few minutes before speaking again. "Listen, I know you're mad, and you have every right to be. I just want you to know I'm sorry about what happened." Her voice wavered. "I never meant for things to go that far, I swear."

Clementine looked over her shoulder, narrowing her eyes at Bonnie. She shrank away under Clementine's gaze, her eyes on the floor.

"You think you can just apologize and that makes it okay?" Clementine asked, her voice hard. "Good people died. Do you understand that?"

Bonnie was silent for a moment. When she spoke again, it sounded like she was close to tears. "I know. I really am sorry. I know it doesn't make up for it, but… if you need anything, I'll help you any way I can."

Clementine refocused on loading magazines. "If you think you can erase your guilt that easily, you're in for a shock," she said quietly. "It never goes away."

* * *

**Author's Note**

Whew! Almost a full month of daily updates. In commemoration of our 6000th view, I thought I'd publicly respond to a couple reviews. That's something people do, right? Also, I have a question. How would you all feel if I raised the age rating to M? I'm trying to decide how explicit I can be here.

**Is Carver's camp where you'll take the reigns of the plot?**

To a certain extent. But I'm reluctant to make any major plot changes before I know what happens for the rest of the season. I'm mostly laying the groundwork for future plot twists. And I have quite a few in mind :P Actually, I'm getting worried it's going too slowly. I'm kinda hoping that what I have in mind is worth the slow buildup. But that's beside the point. Anyway, I have some rough ideas for more "out there" walking dead stories, but I don't think this fic is the place for them. I might write them up at some point. We'll see.

**WHO ARE YOU GONNNA SHIP HER WITH?!**

-Insert cryptic answer here- But really though, I don't "ship" Clem. Interpret that how you will.


	30. Chapter 30

Clementine spent the rest of the morning working with Bonnie in silence. Suddenly, Bonnie's walkie-talkie crackled. Tavia's voice came through over the static. "Bonnie, you still got that girl?"

Bonnie grabbed it. "Yeah, she's right here."

"They need her in the kitchen."

"Alright." Bonnie looked over at Clementine. "C'mon, I'll show you where she means."

She opened the door and motioned for Clementine to follow her. They walked through the bustling warehouse, Bonnie expertly navigating the long rows of supplies. Soon, Clementine arrived in a corner of the building that'd been cleared out and replaced with lines of picnic tables.

"You'll wanna go through that door," Bonnie told her, pointing to a door. It had an "Employees Only" sign that'd been hastily scribbled out with a sharpie. Clementine nodded, her face serious. Bonnie gave a tentative half wave and watched her push open the door and walk inside.

The "kitchen" seemed to be a gutted employee break room. Everything was cleared except the countertops and sink. Two Bunsen burners were set up on one side of the counter with two big pots of soup bubbling on top. There was a bucket of potatoes soaking in the sink. A tall young woman with short hair was busy on the other side of the counter opening cans. She looked up when she saw Clementine walk in.

"You one of the new ones?" she asked, pausing.

"I guess," Clementine shrugged.

The girl nodded, giving her a little smile. "I'm Shel," she said. "Hope they haven't been giving you too hard of a time."

"I'm Clementine," Clementine said, her face impassive. "What do you need me to do?"

The woman motioned toward the potatoes in the sink. "Peel those guys and put them in a bowl. I'll start chopping as soon as I'm done with these cans." Clementine nodded and walked over to the sink, pulling a trash can next to her and grabbing the peeler next to Shel. She picked up the first potato and began peeling, dropping the rough skin in the garbage.

"So how'd you get here?" Shel asked casually. "Everyone's saying something different."

Clementine considered what to tell her. _What do I want them gossiping about…_

"Your guys were tracking us for weeks," she eventually said. "They caught up with us."

"But what actually happened?" Shel pressed. She finished with the cans and began dumping their contents into the pots, glancing over at Clementine every now and then.

Clementine kept her eyes on the potatoes. "We were hiding out at a ski lodge with some other people. Carver caught us off guard. Killed two innocent people." She couldn't keep the anger out of her voice.

"Jesus," Shel breathed. "At least you're okay now, right?"

"Hardly," Clementine scoffed. "I'm basically in a labor camp."

Shel looked at her sympathetically. She got a knife from a drawer and began taking peeled potatoes out of the bowl and chopping them. "It's just the way things work around here," she said softly. "Everyone has to contribute."

"Could you leave if you wanted?" Clementine asked pointedly.

"Hmmm," Shel murmured, staring into space contemplatively. "I'm not sure. I don't know if I'd want to. It's a pretty rough world out there, you know? I have a little sister to watch out for. Honestly, it's probably better for her to be in here." She rolled her eyes. "You know how teenagers are. She thinks she's invincible."

Clementine shook her head in incomprehension and the two lapsed into silence. They finished the potatoes and Shel dumped them into the pot.

"I'm gonna carry these outside and start serving," she told Clementine. "You're supposed to stay in here and clean, I think. There should be some people coming to help you soon enough."

As if on cue, Troy shoved the door open leading Rebecca and Sarita. "I'll be back for you in an hour to take y'all to the pen for the night," he said gruffly. He and Shel left, leaving them alone.

"Are you okay, Clementine?" Sarita asked, concerned.

Clementine nodded. "I'm fine. How about you guys?" They looked fine, but Rebecca seemed a bit worn. _She's probably thinking about Alvin._

"We're okay, Clem," Rebecca said, her face wan. "Are those what we're supposed to use?" She looked in the corner toward a mop, some rags, and a bottle of bleach.

"Guess so," Clementine said. "So I'll mop and Sarita can get the counters? You should sit down, Rebecca; you look tired." _It's probably not a good idea for Rebecca to be doing anything physical._

Rebecca breathed a sigh of relief and sank down against the wall. "Thanks, Clem. They been workin' me all day." She leaned her head against the wall and closed her eyes.

"So what do you think, Sarita?" Clementine asked in a low voice as they cleaned. "Did you go outside? See any way out?"

Sarita shook her head. "There are guards all over the place. Everyone's armed. Getting out is going to be quite challenging." Her voice wasn't optimistic. "How is Sarah doing? Have you seen her?"

"No," Clementine said, shaking her head. "I'm worried about her."

"I'm more worried about Carlos," Sarita said.

Clementine looked at her, surprised. "Why?"

"Think about it," Sarita said, her voice very soft. "He isn't able to protect her in here. She's out of his control, and protecting her is all he really has. I'm worried he's going to snap and all that anger he keeps inside him will come out. Who knows who'll be caught up in it?"

Clementine turned this over in her head. _Sarita was surprisingly perceptive._ "I never thought of that," she said, almost to herself. "Well, the sooner we get out of here the better."

They continued cleaning, rushing to get everything spotless before Troy came back. Clementine didn't want to know what would happen if he found fault with their work.

All too soon, the door slammed open. Troy stood in the doorway menacingly, his eyes darting from Clementine and Sarita to Rebecca sitting down against the wall.

"Why ain't you workin'?" he barked at her. Clementine stood between them and glared at him.

"She's clearly not in any state to be doing physical work," she said, as calmly as she could.

"I'll be the judge of that," Troy snarled, stepping right up to Clementine and staring down at her. Clementine held her ground, gazing up at him unfazed. _It's gonna take more than that to intimidate me._

He held her gaze for a moment before stepping back. "Don't you sass me, girl," he hissed at her. "Next time I ain't gonna let it slide. Now y'all are goin' back in the pen for the night. C'mon."


	31. Chapter 31

When they got back to the pen, the rest of the group was already there. Kenny was pacing frantically. "They got us locked up, man!" he yelled at Carlos.

"That doesn't mean this is the time for some rash plan," Carlos said. He was sitting in a lawn chair by Sarah, his face worn and tired. Clementine looked at Sarah carefully, but her face was half hidden by the shadows.

"Then when is?" Kenny asked, his voice still raised.

"Kenny, calm down," Sarita said reproachfully, putting her hand on Kenny's arm. He shook her off, irritated.

"Don't tell me to be calm when I'm the only one trying to get us outta here!" he shot at her, glaring. His eyes fell on Clementine. "C'mon, Clem, back me up here!"

Clementine shook her head, her arms crossed. "Gotta bide our time. We need to do this right the first time. They'll lock us down even tighter if we fail."

"Thank you, Clem," Rebecca nodded. "We're gonna need help from the outside."

"You mean Luke?" Kenny snorted. "Good luck waiting for that flake." Nick shot him a dirty look.

"I meant from someone in the community," Rebecca said, her voice icy. Clementine recalled Bonnie's promise.

"I worked with this woman Bonnie today," Clementine said thoughtfully. "She seemed pretty torn up about the lodge. I bet we can take advantage of that. Get her to help us out." Rebecca, Nick, and Carlos exchanged a look. Clementine caught it, furrowing her brow in confusion. "What?"

"Bonnie was part of our original group, Clem," Carlos explained, resting his forehead on his fingertips. "But she backed out in the end."

Clementine took this in. "So when she was with Carver to bring you guys back…"

"It was like a punch in the gut," Nick grumbled from the edge of the fire.

Kenny shook his head, still pacing. "We don't need no help from some girl. We can fight our way out."

"Stop this, Kenny," Carlos said, standing. "I'm going to sleep. I suggest you all do the same. We'll gather more information and discuss this again tomorrow."

The rest of the group seemed to agree with Carlos, standing and shuffling over to the bunks. Kenny looked agitated, but Sarita sat him down next to the fire and began talking to him in a low voice. Soon enough, he and Sarita joined them in the bunks. _She's certainly got him figured out,_ Clementine chuckled to herself.

Sarah tapped Clementine's shoulder just as she got settled. Clementine rolled over, giving her room. She studied Sarah's face. There was a dark, angry bruise on her cheekbone. _He really got her,_ Clementine thought, wincing. "How are you feeling?" Clementine asked. It was a stupid question, all things considered, but she felt that she had to say something.

"I just don't know why people have to be so mean," Sarah whispered, a few tears brimming in her eyes. "Even when I'm really mad, I still don't wanna hurt anyone…"

"I know, Sarah," Clementine said, not sure what else to say. Sarah curled next to her and sniffled into her shoulder. Clementine stared at the wood above her as Sarah's breathing became regular and she dropped into sleep.

The next day, Clementine was again sent to Bonnie's workshop first thing in the morning. Bonnie gave her a sad smile and brief greeting. Clementine looked at her skeptically. _I wonder if she really meant what she said._

"Today we're doin' inventory," Bonnie told her, handing her a clipboard with handwritten notes. "Count the guns and make sure the numbers add up." She turned back to her tinkering table and began shuffling the parts around. _Seems like she's modding the weapons…_

Today, Clementine spoke first. "You were supposed to go with them, weren't you?" She didn't turn away from the gun racks.

Bonnie stammered, surprised. "I- I mean, yeah, but… who told you that?"

"They told me last night," Clementine answered, glancing down at the clipboard. "Why didn't you go?"

"I… don't know," she sighed. "I justified not goin' by tellin' myself it's easier to try and change somethin' that's broken than start all over." She paused for a moment before going on. "I guess I was really just scared, though. It's safe here, and… I just wanted to be somewhere comfortable for a while."

"What made you consider leaving in the first place?" Clementine jumped at the chance to learn about the group's past.

"Luke had ideas about how things should go, but they didn't line up with what Bill was thinkin'," Bonnie shrugged. "They butted heads. Then Rebecca started showin', and that only made things worse…" She sighed.

Clementine absorbed her words. But something didn't make sense. "So why were you there with Carver to bring them back?" She turned around and stared at Bonnie quizzically.

She looked at the ground. "I guess I thought that if I was there, I could control things. Keep anyone from gettin' hurt. That ain't what happened, though." She looked miserable. "Maybe Luke was right about him. I wish he was around, but…" Her voice trailed off. "I just hope he's safe."

Clementine's eyes softened. "Me, too," she said.


End file.
